Preface

 

“Creating a Future Vision“ was our motto for the year 2024. Our aim was not to create answers to questions about possible visions of the future or even to present solutions in our exhibitions. Rather, we wanted to provide impetus for joint reflection on what we can do to help shape our future. It always gives me particular pleasure that we don't have to explain this in great detail, but that visitors immediately take it on board: Conversations arise, questions come up. The accompanying program is attended because people see that it is directly related to our topics and can thus provide further inspiration. In fact, something like a lively exchange with our visitors has already emerged. The motto for 2024 has obviously been particularly well suited to this, as we have received an incredible response from our visitors.  

Of course, we were aware that in an age of rapid technological advances and social change, a vision of the future such as “Creating a Future” cannot be based on individual interests alone. It can only become a reality if it also considers the well-being of people and the planet. To create such a vision, we conclude, requires creativity, courage and open minds from everyone. We therefore set out to think beyond the boundaries of the known and explore new possibilities. After all, a new perspective can often be supported by consciously leaving the familiar and sometimes even the cherished.

It is clear that such a topic also moved our visitors: compared to previous years, we had over 50 percent more guests here, which is almost 14,000 people. For us here on the periphery, that's really a great number. The best thing is that we can see how it is developing and growing. But the figures are one thing, the other thing is what you experience when you take part in the events here on the ground: the direct feedback that you get is particularly nice. Personally, I was very pleased that we were not only able to attract a whole new clientele, namely visitors interested in architecture, with a small cabinet exhibition, namely the MAßSTÄBLICH exhibition, in which we showed models of C&A stores in Germany from almost 100 years, but were also able to welcome almost as many guests as we normally do with the exhibitions in our large space.  

It gives me great pleasure to see how our network continues to expand – not only within Germany, but also beyond, internationally. In doing so, we not only “dock” with others, but real relationships develop that we build and maintain – with artists, gallerists, museum people, museums or collections. Almost exponentially, we feel, because everything is growing rapidly, developing and flourishing, and what we have sown is really coming along nicely.  
Since I have been privileged to accompany the Draiflessen Collection for ten years now, this personal conclusion is, of course, a particularly pleasant retrospective. An anniversary like this always invites you to summarize a bit what has happened in the past years of an entire decade. I have no reason to be proud of it, because the whole thing only works with a team, of course. Rather, I am grateful and proud of my team for the fact that we are able to do this together, for the great commitment that exists here. I think that's exactly what people feel when they come to us: that we work with a lot of passion and desire, friendliness and openness, and that we accommodate our visitors and all our partners. 
I don't think you can do better than that in this day and age, and that's what we get in return. Maybe I am proud of that.