Exhibitions

Discover the many forms of Celtic creativity and their artistic legacies in this sweeping story that spans ancient to modern times. When you think of the word “Celtic,” what do you picture? Perhaps intricate knotwork designs, legendary warriors, or mystical spirituality? Maybe even a certain NBA team? Celtic Art Across the Ages will introduce visitors to the worlds of the various peoples who were historically labeled “Celts”—through the objects they created, the interactions they had across the European continent, and the myths that shaped their legacy, then as now. The exhibition stretches from 800 BCE through today, showcasing the craftsmanship, innovation, cultural connections, and multilayered reception that characterized Celtic art in Europe and beyond. The first major exhibition on this topic to take place in the United States, Celtic Art Across the Ages offers an unprecedented opportunity to explore masterful metalwork, including exquisitely decorated weaponry, jewelry, and horse and chariot trappings of the first millennium BCE Iron Age and early medieval times, all brought to light through archaeological discoveries of the last 200 years. See how imagery transformed under Roman rule, and trace the revival of Celtic art and identities in the modern era. From shape-shifting ancient ornaments to the more well-known Celtic iconography of medieval Ireland and Scotland, the objects in this exhibition reveal rich and complex artistic traditions that defy stereotypes of what constitutes “Celtic art.” Check out the exhibition catalogue, with essays from international experts considering the themes of the exhibition and providing a solid introduction to this often underappreciated area of art history. Curated by Susanne Ebbinghaus, George M.A. Hanfmann Curator of Ancient Art and Head of the Division of Asian and Mediterranean Art, with Penny Coombe, Kelekian Curatorial Fellow in Ancient Art, Laure Marest, Damarete Associate Curator of Ancient Coins, and Matthew Rogan, Senior Curatorial Assistant for Special Exhibitions and Publications.Support for this exhibition is provided by the Kelekian Fund; the Martha Tedeschi Exhibition Fund, made possible by the Lunder Foundation–Peter and Paula Lunder Family; the Susan B. Wood Endowment Fund; and the generosity of Susan B. Wood, Christopher C. Angell A.B. ’66, J.D. ’69, Michael Lehmann A.B. ’63, Sol Rabin M.C.P. ’60, and an anonymous donor. The exhibition catalogue was made possible by the Kelekian Fund and the Andrew W. Mellon Publication Funds. Related programming is supported by the M. Victor Leventritt Lecture Series Endowment Fund. *Online Resources*Watch a recording of the Opening Conversation for Celtic Art Across the Ages featuring members of the curatorial team and Harvard faculty who introduce the exhibition and discuss highlights. Supplementary exhibition-related content on Bloomberg Connects features audio clips by members of the curatorial team and other scholars discussing a range of topics around Celtic art as well as select objects on display. Download the Bloomberg Connects app on a mobile device for the best user experience. 

Reflect on memory, labor, and belonging in this first major U.S. exhibition by Pınar Öğrenci. Glück auf in Deutschland marks the first major exhibition in the United States by Berlin-based artist and filmmaker Pınar Öğrenci (b. 1973). The artist’s work invites viewers to question what has been remembered or erased while imagining a future grounded in justice, equality, and collective healing and shaped by layered experiences of survival, resistance, and resilience.The exhibition includes Öğrenci’s 2024 film Glück auf in Deutschland (Good Luck in Germany), which addresses the construction of postwar German identity in the Ruhrgebiet, a heavily industrialized region known for coal mining and steel production. Five related collages are also on view, reimagining the bodies of workers and their families within the Ruhr landscape and its architecture. Öğrenci’s use of the phrase Glück auf — a common way that miners wish one another a safe return after their physically grueling and dangerous work underground — resonates with the experiences of immigrant communities in present-day Germany facing right-wing extremism.The photographs in the film and collages were drawn largely from the Ruhr Museum archive in Essen, Germany, and include works by artists from the 1950s and ’60s. In her interventions, Öğrenci reveals how photography helped shape a homogenous, male-centered identity for both the region and the German nation; she seeks instead to present a more inclusive visual record. Öğrenci’s work is displayed alongside historical photographs from the Busch-Reisinger Museum’s collection.Curated by Lynette Roth, Daimler Curator of the Busch-Reisinger Museum.This exhibition is supported by the Charles Kuhn Endowment Fund in the Busch-Reisinger Museum. Modern and contemporary art programs at the Harvard Art Museums are made possible in part by generous support from the Emily Rauh Pulitzer and Joseph Pulitzer, Jr., Fund for Modern and Contemporary Art.