AYEYE! RUTH BAUMGARTE AT THE IWALEWAHAUS

A monograph of Ruth Baumgarte, whose humanist paintings explore the colonial gaze and humanity’s relationship with nature. 

This new, richly illustrated book centers on how the German painter Ruth Baumgarte (1923–2013) depicted humanity, from her early works created during World War II to the vibrant paintings based on her travels to Africa in her later years. Across her oeuvre, her personal experience of the chaotic twentieth century is distilled into a visual reflection that touches on threat, renewal, and humanity’s obligations to nature and society.

Over four decades, Baumgarte developed a distinct visual language born of existential urgency, ultimately culminating in her Africa cycle. She took more than forty trips to Africa, where, with a keen eye for people and relationships, she engaged with post-colonial realities, social inequalities, and cultural identity. Presented as a dialogue with contemporary African artists, this volume explores Baumgarte’s biography and the global perspectives in her work.

Dr. Renée Gadsden, based in New York, is a historian of art and culture, curator, and author. 

Sigrid Horsch-Albert is an art historian and custodian of the Iwalewahaus at the University of Bayreuth, Germany.