Constructivist art, which emerged from the European avant-garde in the 20th century, sought a universal visual language. Geometry served as a rational link across political boundaries and cultural differences. In Central Europe in particular, artists developed surprisingly similar approaches despite differing political systems. The exhibition makes it clear that geometry is understood here not as a rigid formula, but as a dynamic means of making order, rhythm and harmony tangible. These are rigorously constructed visual systems that radiate a timeless, almost scientific clarity.

Behind this clear aesthetic lies a tradition of collecting spanning several decades, which is closely linked to the Freiberg region. Dr Josef Böhm, a neurologist and long-serving chief physician in Freiberg, continued his father’s legacy and systematically expanded it to include a focus on geometric abstraction. His professional eye as a doctor for structures and functions is reflected in the selection of works: the collection focuses on artists whose works engage intensively with constructive pictorial structures and serial forms of composition. After stints in international art centres such as Berlin and Budapest, some of the paintings are now returning to the place that was the centre of the collector’s life and his place of work. In the surroundings of the Bergakademie, this precise formal language finds its ideal context.