Franz Marc Art Exhibition 2026
Franz Marc – The Search for a Better World
A group of us (Erika, Hilary, Joyce, Maggie, Pat, Sonya and Suzette) made our way to the K20 to see the new Franz Marc exhibition, “Die Suche nach einer besseren Welt” – The Quest for a Better World. And judging by the number of brightly coloured animals waiting for us inside, Franz Marc certainly seemed to believe that the road to a better world involved plenty of blue horses.
Franz Marc, born in 1880, was one of the leading figures of German Expressionism and a co-founder, with Wassily Kandinsky, of Der Blaue Reiter. He was particularly fascinated by animals and nature, but he certainly didn’t paint them as most of us would recognise them. Blue horses? Why not. Red and white rather exotic-looking cats? Absolutely. A fox in shades of blue and black? Apparently so.
And yet, there is rather more to it than simply choosing the wrong paint box.
Marc was searching for a different way of seeing the world. He believed animals were somehow more innocent and harmonious than humans – which, after a quick look around the modern world, is not necessarily an unreasonable conclusion. His paintings became increasingly colourful, expressive and eventually more abstract, as he tried to convey feelings and ideas rather than simply reproduce what was in front of him.
The exhibition brings together more than 120 paintings and works on paper, covering the relatively short but remarkably productive period of his career. There are the familiar animal paintings, but also landscapes, portraits and increasingly abstract works where the original subject can become rather difficult to identify.
One thing that becomes very clear is Marc’s love of colour. His use of brilliant blues, reds, yellows and greens gives the exhibition an extraordinary vibrancy. Even when the subject matter becomes darker, the paintings continue to glow.
And perhaps the title of the exhibition is what makes it particularly interesting. Marc wasn’t simply painting pretty animals in pretty colours. He was looking for a better, more harmonious world and trying to express that through his art. Sadly, the world he actually lived in was heading in a very different direction. Marc died in 1916, aged just 36, during the First World War.
So, after wandering through rooms full of colourful creatures, increasingly complicated shapes and the occasional moment of “Hmm…I wonder what I’m supposed to be seeing here?”, we came away with plenty to talk about.
Whether you’re a confirmed art lover, a fan of Franz Marc’s famous blue horses, or someone who occasionally stands in front of a modern painting wondering whether the artist has forgotten to finish it, this exhibition is well worth a visit. And if nothing else, it may finally convince you that a horse really can be blue.
Written by Pat Haselwood / 2026
