When does the exhibition take place?

The exhibition runs from November 15, 2026, to April 25, 2027, at the Clemens Sels Museum Neuss.

What is the admission fee?

The regular museum admission fee is 5 euros for adults. Discounts and free admission days are listed on the museum's website.

Are there guided tours for the exhibition?

Yes, the museum offers various guided tours and educational formats for the exhibition, including family tours and curator-led tours.

Is the museum accessible to people with disabilities?

Yes, there is step-free access to the main building and exhibitions. An elevator provides access to the special exhibitions.

Who is the exhibition suitable for?

The exhibition is aimed at art enthusiasts, families, and anyone interested in Naive Art, animal representations, and cultural education.

How do I get to the museum?

The Clemens Sels Museum Neuss is located at Obertor in Neuss. Public transport and travel information are provided by the museum on its visit page.

A Delicate World of Humans, Animals, and Naive Image Poetry

Name: Best Friends! – Humans and Animals in Naive Art
Start: 2026-11-15T12:30:00+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 between Animal Love and Joy of Life

With Best Friends!, the Clemens Sels Museum Neuss opens an exhibition from November 15, 2026 to April 25, 2027, that sheds new light on the relationship between humans and animals from the perspective of Naive Art. The exhibition combines painting, drawing, and sculpture into a vibrant art experience that impresses with immediate visual power, poetic directness, and careful curation.

Naive Art as an Unfiltered View of the World

The exhibition brings together self-taught positions from various countries and generations. Works by André Bauchant, Erich Bödecker, Ilija Bosilj Bašičević, Max Raffler, Anna Mary Robertson, Adalbert Trillhaase, and Henryk Zegadlo illustrate how independently the naive visual language operates: reduced yet detailed, spontaneous yet precise. Particularly in the juxtaposition of humans and animals, a unique aesthetic experience unfolds, revealing intimacy, care, and imagination.

Between Family Idyl, Fantasy, and Nature Observation

The presentation depicts animals not merely as motifs but as projection surfaces for human wishes, memories, and emotions. In this exhibition, quiet scenes, humorous moments, and small wonders of everyday life emerge. The exhibition design directs attention to forms, colors, and materiality, creating an atmosphere where visitors can rediscover the inherent value of naive art.

A Museum with a Strong Collection and Mediation

The Clemens Sels Museum Neuss is one of the institutions that intertwine art and cultural history. The collection ranges from medieval art to color painting, supplemented by cultural-historical holdings and a focus on Naive Art. The special exhibition ties into this profile development and benefits from the museum's educational outreach, which opens various access points through guided tours, family offerings, and workshops.

Conclusion

Best Friends! promises an exhibition full of joy in images, art-historical depth, and emotional closeness. Those interested in Naive Art, depictions of animals, and unusual perspectives on humanity should experience this exhibition live. Especially in the museum, the full impact of these works unfolds: immediate, sensual, and surprisingly timeless.