When is the exhibition The Color of Light open?

The exhibition is open from September 11 to December 10, 2026, Thursdays to Mondays from 1 to 6 PM. It is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

What is the cost of admission to the exhibition?

Admission to the exhibition is free.

Are there guided tours of the exhibition?

Groups of five or more and school classes can arrange guided tours with the curator. A fee of 5 euros per person applies for the tour.

Is there a supporting program?

Yes. The lecture series Art Meets Science connects the exhibition with contributions from neuroscience, religious studies, theology, and the history of religion. Additionally, an artist evening in memory of Axel Neumann will take place.

Where is the exhibition taking place?

The exhibition takes place in the Basilica of St. Emmeram at Emmeramsplatz 3 in 93047 Regensburg.

Is the exhibition accessible?

The event information indicates limited accessibility. It is advisable to inquire directly with the organizer before visiting.

Axel Neumann's The Color of Light Opens Visionary Spaces Between Darkness and Insight

Name: The Color of Light – Image Worlds of a Border Experience – Excerpts from Monumental Works by Axel Neumann
Start: 2026-09-11T13:00:00+02:00
End: 2026-12-10T18:00:00+01:00
Location: Basilika St. Emmeram

When Darkness Begins to Shine: Axel Neumann's Image Worlds in St. Emmeram

The exhibition The Color of Light – Image Worlds of a Border Experience transforms the Basilica of St. Emmeram in Regensburg into an extraordinary place for viewing the works. From September 11 to December 10, 2026, large-format excerpts from the monumental works of Berlin artist Axel Neumann will be on display. Admission is free.

Inner Images from Three Weeks of Darkness

The starting point of the exhibition is a self-experiment from 1992: Axel Neumann spent three weeks in complete darkness and silence, originally with the goal of deepening his stagecraft. During this sensory reduction, he perceived a flood of inner images that later materialized on paper in a unique artistic language.

For decades, Neumann transferred his visions with a fountain pen filled with acrylic paint. Each stroke possesses extraordinary precision and remains only one to two millimeters in size. From this meticulous painting technique emerged filigree color worlds whose vibrating lines, geometric rhythms, and symbolic motif mosaics evoke medieval book painting, sacred ornamentation, and colorful stained glass windows.

Monumental Works Between Painting, Vision, and Installation

In the basilica, excerpts from the Red Symphony and the Symphony No. 5 are among those presented. The exhibition comprises a total of 144 exhibits. The individual image fields connect into complex compositions where color, form, and rhythm develop an almost architectural order.

The spatial effect of the basilica enhances the aesthetic experience: between historical walls, sacred atmosphere, and color-intensive image surfaces, a tension-filled dialogue arises between contemporary art and religious architecture. The works appear simultaneously abstract and narrative. Some viewers recognize sacred motifs, while others recall nativity scenes, visions, or unknown pictographs.

Art Historical Perspectives on Border Experience and Perception

The curation by Patrizia Neumann does not lead the exhibition to a singular interpretation. Rather, it opens a space for questions regarding perception, consciousness, and transcendence. The images are not meant to fully decipher inner processes but to preserve their mystery.

This way, the exhibition touches upon themes that connect art history, religious studies, and neuroscience. Image traditions from various eras, reports of near-death experiences, and representations of visionary spaces form a cultural resonance space for Neumann's painting. The project of the University of Regensburg and Atelier Neumann Berlin combines aesthetic experience with cultural education.

Art Meets Science: Science in Dialogue with Art

Alongside the exhibition, the lecture series Art Meets Science takes place. Experts from Regensburg, Bern, and Groningen shed light on the emergence of inner images from the perspectives of cognitive neuroscience, synesthesia research, religious studies, theology, and the history of religion.

The lectures inquire about how concepts form in the brain, what role sensory deprivation plays in perception, and why visions are associated with darkness, caves, otherworlds, or celestial light in different cultures. An artist evening on November 5, 2026, will also commemorate Axel Neumann and focus on thoughts, images, and conversations about his life's work.

Conclusion: An Art Experience Between Light, Silence, and Insight

The exhibition in St. Emmeram awaits visitors with a rare combination of monumental painting, sacred exhibition atmosphere, and scientific reflection. Axel Neumann's images open a concentrated viewing experience beyond the visible and pose the question of what defines humanity in the face of darkness, memory, and inner images. Anyone wanting to experience contemporary art in an extraordinary architectural space should not miss this compelling art experience in Regensburg.