Magasin III collects art that is relevant for our time. Like contemporary art, the collection has always resisted any imposed limitations. It is international in scope with artworks range from complex installations with several hundred parts to works that are totally immaterial. The media also varies widely from painting, photography, film and sculpture to a fully loaded truck or simply an idea. The common thread is that Magasin III collects art that has an enduring ability to influence, engage and challenge.
Magasin III believes in the transformative power of art, seeking out artists that can make us reconsider how we think about art and the world. Since 1987, the Magasin III collection has grown hand-in-hand with our exhibitions program, including more than seventy productions made specifically for Magasin III. Our curators work in close collaboration with the artists to create new works that are included in exhibitions that are tailored to our space. The motivation behind these productions has been to give artists the opportunity to explore ideas and realize new work. When artists are able to experiment, they break new ground. This perhaps explains why so many of the Magasin III productions mark new phases in the careers of these artists.
Collecting is not a means to an end. It is a way to trace the history of the museum and a concrete way to support artists. Through site-specific productions and additional acquisitions outside of our exhibition program, Magasin III has created one of the most significant contemporary art collections in Europe. By taking care of artworks and actively lending to other institutions large and small the world over, Magasin III helps artists to engage with new audiences and allows the works to be experienced in new contexts.
While Magasin III has a permanent collection, it is constantly growing and being reinterpreted in regularly rotating/temporary exhibitions. So visitors always have a chance to see works from the collection, but there is no predictability in what they will find or how it will be installed.