LITERATUR CAFÉ

Literatur Café features conversations on literature, translation, the art of writing, and literary reception. You can bring your own book or buy a copy of the featured book and have it signed.

"THE ART OF LITTLE RUSES"

BILLY WILDER'S EARLY WRITINGS

Before Billy Wilder became the screenwriter and director of iconic films like Sunset Boulevard and Some Like It Hot, he worked as a freelance reporter, first in Vienna and then in Weimar Berlin. From a humorous account of Wilder’s stint as a hired dancing companion in a posh Berlin hotel and his dispatches from the international film scene to his astute profiles of writers, performers, and political figures, these pieces offer fresh insights into the creative mind of one of classical Hollywood’s most revered writer-directors. As a freelancer, Wilder covered everything: big-city sensations, jazz performances, film and theater openings, dance, photography, and all manner of mass entertainment.

Join film historian Noah Isenberg and award-winning translator Shelley Frisch for a conversation, rich in anecdotes and animated by some of the writer’s most colorful passages, about their book "Billy Wilder on Assignment" and its enduring place in our imagination. Copies of the book will be available for purchase. The conversation will be followed by a book signing.

Thursday, March 28, 6:30 P.M. - SOLD OUT

JOIN THE WAITLIST

THE DIARIES OF FRANZ KAFKA

Dating from 1909 to 1923, the handwritten diaries of Franz Kafka contain various kinds of writing: accounts of daily events, reflections, observations, literary sketches, drafts of letters, accounts of dreams, as well as finished stories. The Neue Galerie hosted a special evening with award-winning translator Ross Benjamin and New York Times bestselling author André Aciman, who discussed Benjamin’s groundbreaking new translation of “The Diaries of Franz Kafka,” complete and uncensored for the first time in print.This volume makes available for the first time in English a comprehensive reconstruction of the diary entries and provides substantial new content, including details, names, literary works, and passages of a sexual nature that were omitted from previous publications. By faithfully reproducing the diaries’ distinctive—and often surprisingly unpolished—writing in Kafka’s notebooks, translator Benjamin brings to light not only the author’s use of the diaries for literary experimentation and private self-expression, but also their value as a work of art in themselves.

Free Online Program

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A WEEKEND WITH KLIMT

Join us February 15-18 for a weekend of exploration, as we celebrate the opening of a new special exhibition, “Klimt Landscapes.” From activities for young children and teens to lectures and panel discussions, there is something for everyone!

LECTURE

"VACATION WORK: GUSTAV KLIMT'S LANDSCAPES"

Janis Staggs, Director of Curatorial and Manager of Publications, Neue Galerie New York

Exhibition curator Janis Staggs will deliver an opening night lecture exploring the main themes of “Klimt Landscapes.”

Thursday, February 15, 6:30 P.M. - SOLD OUT

FILM SCREENING

"KLIMT AND THE KISS” (2023)

Directed by Ali Ray. English. 90 mins.

The Kiss by Gustav Klimt is one of the most recognized and reproduced paintings in the world. Painted in Vienna around 1908, the evocative image of an unknown, embracing couple has captivated viewers with its mystery, sensuality and dazzling materials ever since it was created. But just what lies behind the appeal of the painting, and just who was the artist that created it? Delving into the details of real gold, decorative designs, symbolism and simmering erotica, a close study of the painting takes us to the remarkable turn-of-the-century Vienna when a new world was battling with the old.

Friday, February 16, 6 P.M. - SOLD OUT

BREAKFAST WITH KLIMT

Join us for a light breakfast in Café Fledermaus as one of our experienced docents shares an overview of “Klimt Landscapes.”Following breakfast, guests are invited to a private viewing of the galleries before they open to the public

Saturday, February 17, 9:30 A.M. - SOLD OUT

TALKING ART: FAMILY CONVERSATIONS

Join us for a special Family Morning with a focus on Gustav Klimt’s love for nature and his wonderful landscape paintings. After a tour of the exhibition, we invite you to our workshop in Café Fledermaus to create your own Klimt inspired work of art. This intergenerational program invites all members of the family to participate in gallery discussions.

Open to children 6 to 12 years in age and their families.

Sunday, February 18, 10 A.M - SOLD OUT

KLIMT FOR TEENS

Free and open to teens 14 and older, one of our experienced Neue Galerie docents will guide young art enthusiasts through the “Klimt Landscapes” exhibition, discussing his great affection for nature, his craftsmanship in painting, and his favorite spots to spend his summers.

The event is free and open to teens 14 and older. Space is limited and registration required.

Sunday, February 18, 3 P.M. - SOLD OUT

KLIMT GOLDEN HOUR

Join us for a special “Klimt Golden Hour,” a social gathering for guests age 65 and above. Come with a friend, a special someone or simply yourself for an exclusive event including a short gallery talk, followed by casual conversations with like-minded art lovers in Café Fledermaus. Tickets include entry to the museum for a short gallery talk, one slice of Strudel and a non-alcoholic beverage of your choice.

Monday, February 19, 3:30-5 P.M. - SOLD OUT