We are Rincklake: Münsterland e.V. initiates cross-castle cooperation project

Exhibition in three castles on the subject of portrait painting

The ERDF funding project "Münsterland Castles and Palaces Region" has been running in the Münsterland region since 2019 and has already initiated many things. With the exhibition and event project "We are Rincklake. Porträtmalerei im Selfiezeitalter" (We are Rincklake. Portrait Painting in the Selfie Age), the project management organisation Münsterland e.V. has now initiated a cross-castle cultural project that will be launched on 19 June at the Museum Abtei Liesborn, the Haus Nottbeck cultural estate and the Harkotten manor house.

The idea for an exhibition on Westphalia's most important portrait painter, Johann Christoph Rincklake, initially arose in an exchange between Münsterland e.V. and Museum Abtei Liesborn. Later, project manager Christine Kolm put the "Liesborners" in touch with representatives of the two other houses. "As project organisers, we have the task of bringing actors together and building networks. And our experience has shown: You can achieve more together than alone. In this case, the cooperation of the three estates was a great benefit for the project," says Kolm. In her search for portraits of Rincklake in Münsterland, she arranged contacts with many other castles, manors and monasteries in the region that own original portraits.

This resulted in a major project: Rincklake's works will be exhibited from 19 June to 11 September under the headings of identity (Haus Nottbeck cultural estate), staging (Harkotten manor house) and interaction (Liesborn Abbey museum) and can be experienced in a variety of ways. The exhibition also deals with the craft of professional portrait painting, which has been replaced by today's selfie culture, as well as with the depicted persons themselves, who are made to speak through multimedia. In addition, the life and technique of the well-known portrait painter Rincklake, who actually wanted to become a landscape painter but eventually made a name for himself in portrait painting over his competitors, will be illuminated.

Saskia Timmas from Museum Abtei Liesborn is looking forward to the cross-castle project: "What is special for us is the first-time realisation of an exhibition together with two other houses and the enrichment for the exhibition project that results from the different orientations of the houses."

The exhibitions will be complemented by a joint programme of events that will begin in time for the Palaces and Castles Day on 19 June and run until 11 September. Münsterland e.V. is also planning marketing for the exhibition as part of the "Münsterland Palaces and Castles Region" project, as well as a cultural travel offer tailored to it.

With their concept, the three houses also successfully applied for financial support from the Regional Culture Programme of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia. The Münsterland e.V. cultural office supported them in their application with detailed advice.

The ERDF funding project "Palaces and Castles Region Münsterland" was initiated by Münsterland e.V. and the four districts as well as the city of Münster as part of Regionale 2016.