At a glance
Baselitz’s final paintings return to the schoolhouse of his wartime childhood, bringing a radical sixty-year career full circle.
Meet the artist
Why go
This presentation at Gagosian offers a direct look at the latest output of one of Germany's most influential artists within a landmark New York gallery space.
- See Georg Baselitz’s last completed paintings and final sculpture.
- Experience the first Gagosian presentation of his work since his death in April 2026.
- Discover previously unseen works connecting personal childhood memories with Germany’s Nazi past.
- Encounter the inverted figures, raw mark-making and monumental sculpture that defined one of postwar Europe’s most influential artists.
- See an exhibition conceived and designed by Baselitz himself.
This is not a career retrospective, but it has exceptional historical importance: Baselitz’s final paintings and sculpture confront childhood, memory, ageing and the origins of his artistic identity.
You'll see
Monumental paintings from the Meine Schule series, including two works inspired by Baselitz’s earliest memories of the schoolhouse in Deutschbaselitz, where his father taught and the family lived during the Second World War.
Other canvases depict inverted images of Baselitz and his wife, Elke, rendered in fine black lines against luminous gold grounds. Clusters of colourful impasto—described by the artist as a “misplaced Willem de Kooning”—interrupt their fragile surfaces.
The exhibition also includes two large bronze sculptures: 1965 from 2024 and Strawinsky, the last sculpture Baselitz arranged to have completed.
Pace of visit
The spacious gallery layout allows for a focused, quiet walkthrough of Baselitz’s recent large-scale compositions.
Don't miss
- Meine Schule, die Jungs (My School, the Boys), 2026
- Meine Schule, die Mädchen (My School, the Girls), 2026
- Strawinsky (Stravinsky), 2026—Baselitz’s final sculpture
- 1965, 2024
- The inverted portraits of Baselitz and Elke against golden backgrounds
Artlovers Tip
One of New York’s essential gallery exhibitions of the season.
A high-impact stop for those following contemporary German painting or wanting to see how a major figure continues to evolve his visual language.
Visit during a weekday morning for a quieter atmosphere, which helps in appreciating the subtle textures and scale of these new canvases.
Inside the exhibition
Meine Schule brings a new body of work by the German artist Georg Baselitz to the Gagosian gallery on West 24th Street in New York, USA. The exhibition centers on themes suggested by its title, which translates to "My School," signaling a reflective phase for the artist as he examines his own history and development.
The display features Baselitz’s characteristic approach to the medium, showcasing paintings and works on paper produced in his latest creative period. The scale of the works is tailored to the expansive industrial architecture of the Chelsea gallery, allowing the raw texture and physical presence of the canvases to dominate the environment.
Seeing these works in Manhattan provides context for Baselitz's enduring influence on contemporary painting. By focusing on his own artistic education and legacy, the presentation offers a specific vantage point on the methods and perspectives that have defined his career for over sixty years.
Strawinsky is a monumental seated bronze figure with a white patina, developed from Baselitz’s designs for a 2025 production of Igor Stravinsky’s Histoire du Soldat. Its upright torso contrasts with collapsing limbs and head, suggesting physical and psychological defeat.
Experience as an Artlover
Entry to the Gagosian gallery is open to the public during standard hours, typically without the need for pre-booked tickets or admission fees.
Georg Baselitz - Meine Schule
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