Sieben Sünden

What does the concept of sin have to do with the reality of our modern lives? How do we assess deliberate missteps that impact society? These are the questions addressed by the current exhibition, which was curated by three curatorial trainees from the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden (Dresden State Art Collections, SKD) as part of their training as guests of the Archiv der Avantgarden – Egidio Marzona (Archive of the Avant-Gardes – Egidio Marzona, ADA). Isabella Bornberg, Julia Hosp, and Rebecca Schmidt present the seven deadly sins. Originally rooted in the Christian faith, these sins are now interpreted through a critical examination of the present. 

As part of religious values, pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath, and sloth have for centuries signified a deliberate departure from the Christian order and were considered serious transgressions. With the changing role of religion in the 20th and 21st centuries, the social significance of these concepts has shifted. Today, they appear less as clearly definable sins and more as motives and facets of human action. The artistic positions brought together in this exhibition therefore pose the question of whether we wish to resist these “contemporary sins” or allow ourselves to be seduced by them.

For example, political movements often draw their driving force from anger over social injustices. And isn’t envy the real driving force behind the constant competition for self-promotion on the internet?

This multimedia, cross-collection exhibition presents a selection of copperplate engravings, photographs, sculptures, and films. The range spans from Pieter van der Heyden and Otto Dix to contemporary works by Claes Oldenburg, Christian Jankowski, Jen DeNike, Daniel Spoerri, and Colette Lumiere. 

In the run-up to the exhibition, the curatorial trainees discussed the various conceptions of sin, their contemporary meaning, and relevance with Dresden-based initiatives—including “Omas gegen Rechts” (Grandmas Against the Right), the Philosophy Café of the Johannstadt Neighborhood Association, and students from the Vitzthum Gymnasium. It became clear how closely – in both positive and negative senses – moments of crossing boundaries in everyday life, in politics, or on a personally felt level are linked to the concepts of pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath, and sloth. This led to the creation of eight audio collages that reflect voices from diverse experiences, generations, and perspectives. 

The supporting program is diverse: At the Dresden video rental store Filmgalerie Phase IV, there is a themed shelf dedicated to the history of sins in film. During the exhibition, film screenings followed by discussions will also take place there. Guided tours and Tiny Desk Lectures will explore the sins from various areas of film and art history. 

In addition, special cocktails inspired by the “Seven Deadly Sins” have been created and can be enjoyed on opening night at the ADA bar 451°. On Thursday, June 18, the ADA will be open until midnight as part of the Long Night of the Baroque Quarter. 
 

Bernd Ebert, Director-General of the SKD: “Am I beautiful? Vanity is one of the deadly sins and is something we encounter daily, for example on social media. Is it vain to seek one’s self-worth through outward appearances and in the eyes of others? Art reveals what moves people—and sometimes misleads them—across the centuries. This year’s cohort of our emerging researchers is dedicated to exploring this tension—their training is a top priority at the SKD. The high level of interest and the number of applications demonstrate just how attractive this program is. During their two-year training period, they receive close guidance from museum directors and gain important practical experience in various museums. With their exhibition ‘Seven Sins: Art Between Temptation and Resistance,’ the trainees present the results of their curatorial work.”

Rudolf Fischer, Director of the ADA: “The exhibition ‘Seven Sins: Art Between Temptation and Resistance’ brings together over 70 works and archival materials from four different collections of the Dresden State Art Collections, as well as private collections, and presents them collectively at the Blockhaus. In doing so, the curatorial trainees employed the ADA’s distinctive approach of exploring works of art in conjunction with archival material. Using this methodology, they are able to bring social issues into the present day and re-examine them in ‘Seven Sins.’ What was considered a sin yesterday is often just business as usual today. They explore how the concept of ‘sin’ has changed in the present day and what it means to us today.”
 

Duration: June 19 to September 6, 2026 

Opening hours: Wednesday through Friday, 3–7 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m.–6 p.m.

Admission: regular €5, reduced €4, students under 20 €2, children not yet in school free

Participating collections: ADA, GRASSI Museum für Völkerkunde zu Leipzig, Kunstfonds, Kupferstich-Kabinett (Museum of Prints, Drawings and Photographs)