Assembled over four decades by the collector Christian Duerckheim, this collection brings together works by some of the most important artists of the late 20th and early 21st centuries, including Georg Baselitz, Anselm Kiefer, Damien Hirst, Theaster Gates, Sam Taylor-Johnson, Jake and Dinos Chapman, Zhang Huan and Cerith Wyn Evans. Widely regarded as one of the most important private collections in Europe, it reflects an artistic vision shaped by moral concern and historical awareness.

Integrated into the Serralves Collection through a long-term deposit formalised in 2024, the Duerckheim Collection offers a profound insight into recent human history and into the role of the artist when confronted with the disasters of war and ethical responsibility in the face of evil. The works brought together constitute an exercise in memory and reflection on the impact of totalitarian regimes, international and civil wars, and the traumas of genocide.

Bringing together a group of essential artists, this exhibition invites the public to reflect on how contemporary art translates the upheavals of history and the urgency of the present. At a time of renewed conflicts and the resurgence of authoritarian politics, the exhibition asks whether a painting, a sculpture or a film—by giving form to what words cannot express—can help prevent history from repeating itself. The exhibition reaffirms Serralves’ role as a guardian and interpreter of artistic heritage of international relevance.