In February last year the Kunstbehandlung gallery (Müllerstr. 40, 80469 München)in downtown Munich presented 50 paintings of pretzels in a solo exhibition by the Munich based artist Ulrike Wenzel. One year later they are showing a further 50, never seen before ‘portraits’ of pretzels. To round things up there are some striking works illustrating the art history of the most favourite Bavarian snack.

Ulrike Wenzel employs an almost ‘Sherlock Holmes’ like approach to detect her favourite subjects. Firm handed and with an experienced eye she finds those examples, which, let’s say, don’t fit into the common, obviously ideal expectations. Out of shape ones, burned ones, uber- or even not salted ones, pitiful thin or much to chunky ones are the objective of her detective hunt. Whenever she finds such an outlier again, she notes the date and place of purchase and captures the object of desire and documentation in oil on canvas, always on a panel in exactly 13 x 18 cm size.

Thus, similar to a collection of rare insects or better a gallery of beauties, an elusive new collection von well over one hundred pretzel paintings accrued. We are presenting the very best 50 new ones.

You are mistaken to believe that this exhibition serves a folkloristic cause. The underlying idea reveals a profound and subtle humour of the protagonist.

You can take home your favourite pretzel for some 300 euros until February 22. Here is some footage from the gallery.