I was always a big fan of Gerd Rohling's work

MUNICH SPEECH® with André Odier, Managing Director of the Freunde der Nationalgalerie Berlin, as a LUNCH BREAK on Tuesday, 5 August 2025 at 12:30 to 2 pm

André Odier has accompanied Gerd Rohling's work since the exhibition of the group of works "Water and Wine" 2003-2004 at the Neue Nationalgalerie Berlin. The discussion will focus on Gerd Rohling's works and the work of the Friends of the Nationalgalerie Berlin, also in comparison to the Munich Friends, PIN. Freunde der Pinakothek der Moderne e.V. and Freunde Haus der Kunst.

André Odier, born in 1961 in St Marcellin, France, studied journalism, Romance languages and literature and American studies at the Free University of Berlin. 1992 Diplôme Maitrise LVE Anglais, Université de Grenoble. 1984-1989 he worked at the Villa Grisebach auction house and Galerie Pels-Leusden, Berlin. Since 1992 he has been a member of the Verein der Freunde der Nationalgalerie in various functions, including managing director/artistic director for the 6 houses of the Nationalgalerie since 2006. He has been a member of the board of the Friends of the National Gallery Foundation since 2004. From 2011 to 2014, he held a teaching position at the HBK Braunschweig. From 2011 to 2023 he was curator of the Sculpture Triennial in Bingen.

The conversation builds a bridge to the current solo exhibition:

GERD ROHLING
SWEETART (ROSINS FOR MUNICH)
July 4-September 11, 2025

The Munich Speech® is an exclusive, international, non-profit series of events, to discuss cutting-edge art- and culture-topics. The name Munich Speech® derives from the celebrated series „Speeking about your own country: Germany“ at the Kammerspiele Munich in 1985 with Joseph Beuys.

Produced and presented since 2014 by Dietlinde Behncke (cultural manager and journalist, formerly at ZDF headquarter Berlin), the focus lies on outstanding positions/ personalities, who change, take action for or develop visions for Munich or change an institution in the world from Munich and who receive direct and immediate attention through the Munich Speech®. Due to the corona pandemic, there were also Munich Speech® digital live streams in 2020-2022.

The events took place three to four times a year until 2022 in André and Dietlinde Behncke's private apartment. The events are currently taking place at behncke gallery, since the gallery was founded on January 31, 2023.
Previous guests in 2017 included Dr. Roger Diederen (Director Kunsthalle Munich) with the FAUST-FESTIVAL MUNICH, 2018 Dr. Angelika Nollert (Director Die Neue Sammlung - The Design Museum in the Pinakothek der Moderne), 2019 2022 Serge Dorny (Bavarian State Opera Director), 2022 Dr. Eva Kraus (Director Bundeskunsthalle Bonn) "No future without transformation?" or Andrea Lissoni (in 2021 and 2022) - Artistic Director Haus der Kunst and Sarah Haugeneder (Boardmember Various Others), Prof. Bernhard Maaz (Director General of the Bavarian State Painting Collections) on the subject of "Art deals with the essence of life" or 2024 Dr. Cathrin Klingsöhr-Leroy (Director Franz Marc Museum, Kochel).