1st International Grimm Art Exhibition officially opened in Berlin

Berlin, Germany (Weltexpress). On Tuesday, 4th August 2026, at 2.30 pm, the 1st International Grimm Art Exhibition, curated by Ning Chen, was officially opened in the foyer of the Federal Government’s Press and Information Office in Berlin. Prior to this, the registered association ‘International Promotion of Grimm’s Culture and Art in Germany’ (GIFKK) had issued invitations to the ‘Grimm World Art Exhibition’, which will be on display at Berlin’s Reichstagsufer until 6 August 2026.

In a press release dated 4 August 2026, the GIFKK announced that this exhibition had been “solemnly opened with a flute rendition of Robert Schumann’s ‘Träumerei’ … heard from afar”. Around 90 guests attended the opening.

According to its own statements, the aim of the Association for the International Promotion of Culture and Art in Grimm’s Germany is the international promotion of “culture and art in the spirit of the Brothers Grimm.” The press release in question states: “In doing so, the Grimm fairy tales, which are known to children all over the world, are to be carried out into the world from their country of origin, Germany, as a unifying cultural asset and, above all, brought back to Germany through the impact they have. The aim is to create a sustainable programme that promotes international understanding through art and culture, starting with children.”

The fact that ‘Grimm … is a German name’ – and a famous one at that – is still more or less common knowledge within Germany. Less well known is its impact in distant lands, including the People’s Republic of China.

Grimm’s fairy tales ‘remain part of countless people’s childhoods to this day. They offer children, regardless of language, origin or culture, a shared gateway to the world of fantasy. Based on this idea, the association has chosen Grimm as its symbol and guiding principle to promote international dialogue through art, culture and communication from an early age,” states the press release, which is further quoted in WELTEXPRESS as follows: “The inspiration for this project arose from children’s art exhibitions in China, where thousands of children painted pictures based on the Grimm fairy tales. This gave rise to the idea of symbolically bringing Little Red Riding Hood, Snow White, Cinderella and the Frog Prince back to their homeland of Germany in a wide variety of cultural interpretations – enriched by the ideas, colours, forms of expression and perspectives typical of each country. At the same time, the aim is for children from different countries to share their ideas about people, nature, society and their environment through artworks and cultural exchanges, thereby fostering mutual understanding and developing shared perspectives.

This year’s exhibition features nearly 200 works. Alongside classic motifs from the Grimm fairy tales, nature forms a particular thematic focus. With great imagination, remarkable creativity and an impressive variety of forms of expression and colour palettes, the children and young people offer an insight into their world of thoughts and feelings.

In a video message, the renowned constitutional law expert and former Federal Minister, Prof. Rupert Scholz, paid tribute to the Brothers Grimm as an extraordinary cultural force that has shaped generations of people – particularly children. Through their linguistic and literary work, he said, they had made a lasting contribution to the history of the German language and culture. For this reason, the Brothers Grimm are today far more than simply eminent German scholars: they have become an international cultural institution.

Wolfram Wickert, former spokesperson for the Federal Government, honorary chairman of the association, and a writer and painter, spoke about the origins of the Grimm fairy tales during the Romantic era and their worldwide dissemination. He explained how, over time, the fairy tales had been taken up in many countries, retold and adapted to the respective cultural traditions. It is precisely this diversity that demonstrates the universal power of the Grimm fairy tales to bring people from different cultures together and to foster dialogue between nations.

Several young artists attended the exhibition opening in person. They were honoured with certificates and awards for their successful participation and their outstanding artistic achievements. The awards were presented by Honorary Chairman Wolfram Wickert and Chairperson Wei Liang.

The guests also included representatives from the Cultural Section of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China.

The musical accompaniment was provided by the Beijing Floboe – flute and oboe. Yet it was Mozart and Beethoven who lent the event a regional yet international flavour.”