Gallery History: Galerie Iris Wazzau, Davos, Switzerland representing : Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Emil Nolde, Mark Tobey, Philipp Bauknecht, Alighiero e Boetti, Carl Liner, u.a.

Galerie Iris Wazzau
Promenade 72, CH-7270 Davos, Switzerland

English / German

Gallery History

Gallery Iris Wazzau was founded in 1971 by Ann Haas and Iris Wazzau. A year later Iris Wazzau took over and in 1975 moved the gallery into the center of Davos-Platz.

The fact that the German-Expressionist Ernst Ludwig Kirchner (1880-1938) lived and worked from 1917 until his death in 1938 in Davos, influenced the gallery program from the beginning. In the first year the gallery had an Ernst Ludwig Kirchner exhibition, many more followed. Another Expressionist - lesser recognized by modern art history - Philipp Bauknecht (1884-1933) moved 1911 (ill with Tuberculosis) to Davos, created his entire work here until his death in 1933.

The gallery takes care of his estate. Then there are the Swiss Expressionists of the group "Rot-Blau": Albert Müller ((1897-1926) and Hermann Scherer (1893-1959) who both visited Kirchner early in Davos and created many of their mayor works here. Furthermore, the first Kirchner student, the Dutch Expressionist Jan Wiegers (1893-1959) visited and worked in Davos well after Kirchner's death where all among the first artists the gallery showed and paved the gallery-way.

Artists like Marc Chagall, Oskar Kokoschka, Alexej von Jawlensky, Joan Mirò, Varlin and Carl Liner have been exhibited in "one-man shows".

There have been noteworthy theme-exhibitions providing unlimited possibilities and comparisions of works and artists. Highlights were: "Davos at the time of Ernst Ludwig Kirchner", "Expressionism in Davos", "Kirchner in private Swiss-collections", "Colour Blue", "Flowers" etc.

During the last years the gallery program has been extended, emphasizing works by Alighiero e Boetti, Alexander Calder, Sam Francis, Gottfried Honegger, Robert B. Käppeli, Serge Poliakoff, Niki de Saint-Phalle and others.

Catalogues document most exhibitions. The gallery participated at Art Basel, Art Cologne, Art Frankfurt, Art Chicago. The gallery location "Davos" attracts an international clientele. Changes in the international art business are moving the gallery activities in ever changing directions. The delight of art and the challenge in creating exhibitions is unbroken after 35 years.

I. W.