Imagination of a Woman at Museum St. Laurentius: Rediscovering Christel Runne in Duisburg
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Rediscovering Christel Runne: An Exhibition on Memory, Courage, and Artistic Independence
With Imagination of a Woman, the Museum St. Laurentius in Duisburg brings to light a long-forgotten painter. The exhibition opens on April 24, 2026, at 6 PM and showcases works from Christel Runne, born in Witten and active in Münster, whose life could only be reconstructed through a rediscovered estate containing photo albums, notebooks, and around 400 letters. The exhibition is designed as a reunion with an artist whose work can now be read anew in its historical depth and aesthetic uniqueness. ([duisburglive.de](https://www.duisburglive.de/event/2026/04/05/sandor-szombati-photographien-von-britta-lauer-20260405/?cHash=a9d014b1d3a7feebd4e52c999f03dfca))
An Artistic Experience Between Biography and Contemporary History
Christel Runne studied at the Düsseldorf School of Applied Arts from 1916 to 1919, at a time when women were still barred from the Düsseldorf Academy of Fine Arts. She then settled in Münster and came to prominence in the 1920s with her own contributions to exhibitions, particularly in Westphalia and as far as St. Gallen. The estate suggests a stylistically confident painter who chose unusual subjects and developed her own artistic voice. ([stmatthias-duisburg.de](https://www.stmatthias-duisburg.de/images/Dokumente/2025_Jahresruckblick_2026k.pdf))
Between Painting, Research, and Museal Rediscovery
The exhibition makes visible how closely the observation of works and art historical research are connected. The Mülheim-based gallery owner Gerold d’Hamé discovered the artistic estate; based on this, the life of the artist could be redefined. Works from the 1920s and 1930s will be shown, covering the period in which Runne developed her own style and moved away from artistic painting more strongly after the birth of her two children in the mid-1930s. This tension provides the exhibition with its unique atmosphere. ([stmatthias-duisburg.de](https://www.stmatthias-duisburg.de/images/Dokumente/Pfarrnachrichten/2026-04-12_1617_on-komprimiert.pdf))
The Museum as a Quiet Resonance Space
The Museum St. Laurentius itself contributes greatly to the aesthetic experience: The deconsecrated church from 1932 now houses a permanent exhibition with works by Sándor Szombati and presents itself as a venue for temporary exhibitions and chamber concerts. The space combines sacred architecture, focused presentation, and museum education into a place where art does not present itself loudly, but reverberates. For visitors, this creates an art experience that closely links biography, space, and works. ([rheinischemuseen.de](https://www.rheinischemuseen.de/museum/act0002220?region=p0007))
Visit, Service, and Practical Information
Admission is free. The museum is regularly open only on the first Sunday of the month from 2 PM to 5 PM and by appointment; for this special exhibition, the kickoff is noted in the event calendar on May 3, 2026, at 2 PM. Guided tours take place on open days at the full hour and upon request. There is a museum shop on site, a small gastronomic offer, and parking spaces in public streets. The museum is also accessible by train and by bus lines 914 or 927 to the Martinistraße stop. ([rheinischemuseen.de](https://www.rheinischemuseen.de/museum/act0002220?region=p0007))
Anyone who wants to not only read art history but also experience it spatially and emotionally will find a rare opportunity here: a forgotten painter steps back into public consciousness, a museum opens its special church space for rediscovery, and a historically informed view of female modernity becomes possible. A visit is definitely worthwhile. ([stmatthias-duisburg.de](https://www.stmatthias-duisburg.de/images/Dokumente/2025_Jahresruckblick_2026k.pdf))
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