Barberini Salon

On May 8, 2026, the Museum Barberini will host the first Barberini Salon—a new event format that combines art, music, and conversation in a special atmosphere. In memory of the history of the Palais Barberini as a historic venue for civic cultural life and the salons of the important art collectors and Liebermann acquaintances Carl and Felicie Bernstein, the museum invites guests to an evening that surprises, inspires, and opens up space for dialogue.   

Until 10 p.m., guests can immerse themselves in the current exhibition and discover various culinary offerings in the spring atmosphere of the courtyard. The house and exhibition rooms will become a stage for informal discussions with illustrious guests, among them illustrator Christoph Niemann and journalist and author Jens Bisky, moderated by Shelly Kupferberg, who will open up unexpected perspectives and build bridges from Max Liebermann's time to our present. And for musical performances by jazz vocalist Enji, about whom the New York Times writes: “Jazz singers like this rarely sound so unpretentious, original, and free.”  

Another new feature is the “Barberini Tandem” format: Are you curious about new people and their perspectives? Then take the chance to meet a stranger at random during a tour of the current exhibition! Guided by thought-provoking questions, you’ll meet someone from a completely different background and, with art as your guide, gain insight into the lives of other guests.

The Barberini Salon: A space for discovery!  

Shelly Kupferberg:
Shelly Kupferberg, born in 1974 in Tel Aviv, was raised in Berlin and studied communications, theater, and musicology. She is a journalist and hosts cultural and social affairs programs for Deutschlandfunk Kultur and rbb radio3. Her literary debut Isidor was both a critical and popular success and premiered on stage at the Burgtheater Vienna in February 2026. Her new novel Stunden wie Tage was recently published by Diogenes Verlag in March 2026.

Enji:
The distinctive appeal of Enji’s music lies in its expansive, cross-genre approach—shaped by her biography and an unrelenting curiosity. The singer of Mongolian origin lives in Munich and blends nuanced vocal jazz, folk, poetry, and urtiin duu, a traditional musical form from the vast landscapes of Central Asia. Enji’s voice seems to suspend time: graceful and warm, yet both assured and understated. In just a few years, this exceptional talent—and her unmistakable artistic independence—has become a regular presence on jazz stages around the world. 

Jens Bisky:
Jens Bisky, born in 1966, spent many years as an editor in the culture section of the Süddeutsche Zeitung and has been managing editor of Mittelweg 36 at the Hamburg Institute for Social Research since 2021. He is the author of several books, including Berlin: Biography of a Great City (2019) and The Decision: Germany 1929 to 1934 (2024). In 2017, he was awarded the Johann Heinrich Merck Prize for Literary Criticism and Essay by the German Academy for Language and Literature.

Christoph Niemann:
Christoph Niemann, born in 1970, is an artist, author, and animator. His illustrations frequently appear on the covers of The New Yorker and The New York Times Magazine. His work has been featured in numerous museum retrospectives. He has drawn live from the Venice Biennale and the Olympic Games in London, and even sketched the New York City Marathon while running it himself. His clients include Hermès, Google, LAMY, and MoMA. Niemann has created several site-specific artworks, including installations at Kunstpalast Düsseldorf, the Berliner Ensemble, and the Wannsee train station in Berlin. He is the author of numerous books, including Sunday Sketching, Abstract City, Pianoforte, and most recently DRAW. Together with Jon Huang, he developed the children’s apps Petting Zoo and CHOMP.