Georg Baselitz died a week before the opening of his final exhibition, "Eroi d’Oro (Golden Heroes)," on the island of San Giorgio Maggiore in Venice, running until 27 September. The show features large upright paintings of inverted naked figures, mostly depicting his wife Elke Kretzschmar, with one self-portrait inspired by Hokusai. Baselitz's recorded voice accompanies the works, describing them as a summation of his life and art, meditating on old age, dignity, and the topsy-turvy state of the world.
This exhibition matters because it underscores Baselitz's lifelong engagement with history and politics, especially relevant amid current political turmoil in the UK and Europe, where cultural institutions face threats from authoritarian-leaning policies. The article draws a parallel to the 1930s, when Nazi-friendly appointments replaced museum directors, warning that political interference in cultural leadership is a dangerous early sign. Baselitz's final show serves as a poignant reminder that history may be repeating itself, urging museums to defend their independence and foster common ground.