Collectors’ Talk: From Collecting to Founding a Museum

Sculpture Network is launching a new series of public conversations — Collectors’ Talk — dedicated to exploring the world of collecting and the many perspectives it opens: from passion and legacy to responsibility and public engagement.

The first event of this series, entitled From Collecting to Founding a Museum, is one of Germany’s most remarkable stories. Founded in the 1970s around the visionary gift of collector Bernhard Sprengel, the Sprengel Museum became one of Germany’s leading institutions for modern and contemporary art, known for its outstanding collection of Expressionism and postwar abstraction, and for its dialogue between private initiative and public mission.

This online Collectors’ Talk brings together Tilman Kriesel, independent art advisor and grandson of the museum’s founder, and Reinhard Spieler, Director of the Sprengel Museum. The discussion will be moderated by Natasha Bergmann, art advisor and Member of the Curatorial Board at Sculpture Network, who promises to bring her curiosity (and a few tricky questions!) to the talk.

The dialogue will explore:

• How private collections become public museums

• What defines a “museum-worthy” collection

• How family heritage can inspire new forms of institutional support

• The balance between private initiative and public interest

• How museums like Sprengel expand responsibly while keeping their identity alive

Drawing on his dual perspective as a professional art advisor and family member, Tilman Kriesel will reflect on how personal heritage and professional experience can complement each other — helping to open new opportunities and partnerships for the museum’s future without influencing its curatorial direction. He will also share his view on how the profession of the art advisor itself is changing today — from guiding collectors in a rapidly evolving art market to connecting private and public initiatives in more meaningful ways.

Reinhard Spieler, as the museum’s director, will share his vision of how the Sprengel Museum continues to evolve — expanding its collection thoughtfully, addressing historical gaps, and engaging new audiences while preserving the museum’s original spirit and integrity.

Join our Zoom meeting on Monday, 26 January 2026, at 20.00 CET.

The event will be held in English. Participation is free of charge; all you need is a PC, tablet, or smartphone with an internet connection. Please register using the button “Register Now!” on the left of this page to receive the link to the Zoom meeting.

Why attend: Discover how private collections evolve into public institutions and how vision, integrity, and collaboration sustain museums in the 21st century.

Follow our Instagram for more details about the upcoming talk and share your questions: we’ll make sure to ask them during the discussion!