When does the exhibition take place?

The exhibition runs from 15.11.2026 to 25.04.2027.

Where can the exhibition be seen?

At the Clemens Sels Museum Neuss, Am Obertor, 41460 Neuss.

What is the admission fee?

The regular admission for adults is 5 euros. Discounts and free entries apply on certain days.

Is the museum barrier-free?

Yes, the level access to the main building is possible. An elevator provides access to the permanent exhibitions and the special exhibitions.

Are there guided tours and educational offerings?

Yes, the museum offers guided tours, including formats and educational offerings for different target groups.

How do I get to the museum using public transport?

The bus lines 877 and 869 stop at the Neuss Bergerhof bus stop.

Best Friends! shows Naive Art full of warmth, clarity, and quiet poetry

Name: Best Friends! – Human and Animal in Naive Art
Start: 2026-11-15T12:00:00+01:00
End: 2027-04-25T19:00:00+02:00
Location: Clemens Sels Museum Neuss

Best Friends! at the Clemens Sels Museum Neuss: Naive Art as a Living Image World

The exhibition Best Friends! Human and Animal in Naive Art opens a poetic view of the special closeness between humans, animals, and images. At the Clemens Sels Museum Neuss, visitors encounter an art form that has developed freely from academic rules and for that reason touches with immediate clarity, color, and narrative joy.

An Exhibition about Trust, Everyday Life, and Fantasy

Naive art unfolds its effect not through distance but through immediacy. Figures, animals, and landscapes appear with childlike directness, at the same time with a serious observation of life. The exhibition focuses on those image worlds where animals are not merely decor but companions, mirrors, and co-inhabitants of an often idealized order of life.

The Museum as a Place of Art Historical Discoveries

The Clemens Sels Museum Neuss possesses a high-quality collection of Naive Art and has established itself well beyond the region with its holdings on Symbolism, Expressionism, and popular image culture. This curatorial anchoring gives weight to the exhibition: it is not isolated but in dialogue with a collection that connects original imagery, cultural memory, and art historical diversity.

Why Naive Art Seems So Close Again Today

In a time characterized by acceleration and visual overstimulation, the aesthetic experience of Naive Art gains new presence. Its painterly directness, reduced perspective, and often bright color surfaces create a space of deceleration. Those who stand in front of these works experience not a loud gesture but a quiet, deeply concentrated examination of the artwork.

Imagery between Tenderness and Willfulness

The exhibition makes clear how strongly naive imagery swings between observation and imagination. Animals appear as loyal companions, as bearers of symbols, or as part of a harmonious order. It is precisely this connection of everyday proximity and poetic enhancement that gives the exhibition its charm and makes it particularly accessible for families, art lovers, and those interested in cultural history.

An Art Experience for the Curious, Families, and Collectors

Best Friends! is suitable for everyone who wants to experience art not just by seeing but as a cultural experience. The exhibition atmosphere combines educational aspirations with sensual appeal. Thus, a visit results in being both art historically grounded and emotionally accessible.

Conclusion: This exhibition promises an inspiring view of Naive Art and its special relationship between humans and animals. Those who engage with this image world discover a quiet, warm, and surprisingly multifaceted art experience. A visit to the Clemens Sels Museum Neuss is definitely worthwhile live on-site.