Vexation of Spirit - The Duerckheim Collection

group exhibition at Museu de Serralves

May 15, 2026

Museu de Serralves, Porto, PT

Integrated into the Serralves Collection through a long-term deposit, the Duerckheim Collection offers a profound insight into recent human history and into the role of artists as Hermann Nitsch, when confronted with the disasters of war and ethical responsibility in the face of evil.

Assembled over four decades by the collector Christian Duerckheim, this collection brings together works by some of the most important artists of the late 20th and early 21st centuries, including Georg Baselitz, Anselm Kiefer, Damien Hirst, Hermann Nitsch and many more. Widely regarded as one of the most important private collections in Europe, it reflects an artistic vision shaped by moral concern and historical awareness.

In the group exhibition “Vexation of Spirit,” Hermann Nitsch’s so-called “Grazer Raum” is being shown outside of Austria for the first time. The works from his 22nd Malaktion (Graz, 1987) were last on view in 2011/12 in the exhibition “Hermann Nitsch: The Early Work, The Essence of the Duerckheim Collection” at the nitsch museum.

The stunning grounds of the Fundaçao Serralves and the rare opportunity to rediscover the “Grazer Raum” make Porto the perfect destination for an art trip in 2026.

Museu de Serralves
Rua D. João de Castro, 210
4150-417 Porto
Portugal
www.serralves.pt