Gallery in the Elysee
In our Elysée gallery, contemporary figurative painting from northern Germany has been exhibited and promoted in a changing programme of exhibitions since 1985. After as many as 140 exhibitions, patron and collector Christa Block has created a greatly respected forum for the promotion of art in Hamburg and beyond. The gallery presents a convincing range of stylistic and thematic positions and thus pays tribute to the important traditions of realism in northern Germany in the 20th and 21st centuries.
Current Exhibition
Between Heaven and Earth
Exhibition: May 6 – July 1, 2025
The Artists
Frauke Gloyer und Mathias Meinel
The beauty of the northern German landscape captured on canvas: the vastness of North Frisia, the dikes and nature reserves of Hamburg’s Vier- und Marschlande, and the industrial charm of the port all serve as sources of inspiration for artists Frauke Gloyer and Mathias Meinel. Frauke Gloyer often lets her gaze drift into the distance, while Mathias Meinel turns his attention downward—toward flooded fields, streams, and puddles. Seemingly ordinary subjects reveal the essence of their surroundings and possess the power to transport the viewer into immersive, atmospheric landscapes. Both members of the Northern German Realists, Gloyer and Meinel now present their work at the Gallery at the Elysée.
Elysee Prize
The “Elysée Prize for Painting” to promote young talent from the region is endowed with €10,000 and has already been awarded 12 times to students at north German universities. An independent jury consisting of artists, art historians and cultural journalists decides on the winner of the award. On the occasion of the award ceremony, submitted works are shown during an exhibition at the Galerie im Elysée.
After the Elysée Prize exhibition, works are purchased and included in the Block Collection. They are shown permanently in the corridors on the fifth floor of the Grand Elysée Hamburg and can be viewed there. A summary of earlier Elysée winners can also be found here.