Tegernsee Art Masters 2026 mit Sir Tony Cragg
In the summer of 2026, Lake Tegernsee will transform into an open-air gallery: the second Tegernsee Art Masters will be dedicated to the British-German sculptor Sir Tony Cragg, one of the most internationally renowned contemporary artists. Under the title "Seemeile Nr. 1 – Elemente" (Lake Mile No. 1 – Elements), five monumental sculptures will be on display along the lakeshore from July 3 to October 5. The exhibition is held under the patronage of Anna, Duchess in Bavaria.
For decades, Cragg’s work has engaged with questions of growth, transformation, and the formation of shape. His sculptures emerge from an exploration of natural processes, biological structures, and the potential of modern materials. Set against the backdrop of Lake Tegernsee, they enter into a dialogue with the landscape, water, and light—thereby altering the perception of both their surroundings and themselves.
Highlights include the 6.5-meter-high sculpture "Senders" in Rottach-Egern, whose white, organic-looking form oscillates between a natural formation and a technical structure. In Bad Wiessee stands the bronze sculpture "Stacks," a multi-layered work that evokes associations with both geological formations and industrial structures. Two further key bodies of work—"Tommy" and "Early Forms St. Gallen"—are represented at Gut Kaltenbrunn; in these, Cragg transforms everyday shapes into biomorphic sculptures. Finally, right on the lakeshore near Tegernsee Palace, the reflective stainless-steel work "Points of View" mirrors its surroundings and makes the concept of perspective itself the subject.
Starting September 18, the exhibition will be complemented by a display of drawings and additional sculptures at the Olaf Gulbransson Museum. Accompanying talks, events, and art activities are also planned.
The Tegernsee Art Masters thus creates an open-air art landscape that brings international contemporary art to the Upper Bavarian lake region—transforming Lake Tegernsee for several months into a place where nature, sculpture, and public space meet.
1 2 Gut Kaltenbrunn »TOMMY« & »ST. GALLEN«, Gmund am Tegernsee
3 Schloss Tegernsee »POINTS OF VIEW«, Schloßplatz, Tegernsee
4 Rottach-Egern Ganghoferstraße Nr. 1 »SENDERS«
5 Bad Wiessee Seepromenade Nähe Löblweg »OUREA«
About Tony Cragg
Tony Cragg, born in Liverpool in 1949, is one of the most significant sculptors of our time. The British-German artist completed his studies at the Royal College of Art in 1977 and has participated multiple times in the Venice Biennale and documenta in Kassel. He has received numerous awards for his work, including the Turner Prize from the Tate Gallery in London (1988), the Praemium Imperiale for sculpture in Tokyo, and the Order of Merit (First Class) of the Federal Republic of Germany; in 2007, he was knighted in England. Cragg taught at the Berlin University of the Arts and the Düsseldorf Art Academy, serving as the latter's rector from 2009 to 2013. He lives and works in Wuppertal, and his work is represented in major museums and collections worldwide.
Information at: www.tegernsee-art-masters.com