This exhibition is on view from March 5th until April 21st 2025.
During Lent – the time between Carnival and Easter – many churches in the Netherlands and Germany use a ‘hunger cloth’. The German organization Misereor invites every second year an artist from Africa, Latin America or Asia to create an art work to be used a hunger cloth, starting in 1976. The hunger canvases are inviting us to take action for the less fortunate in the world.
50 years of hunger cloths
This (Holy) year 2025 marks the 50th anniversary of this tradition and the 25th canvas ‘Dreaming together – Love be deed’ will be released. A great opportunity to show the scope of this tradition in a retrospective exhibition. At the same time, it also shows the diversity of art forms, techniques and materials in non-Western painting over the past 50 years.
Original art works
The special exhibition of original hunger paintings from the collection of Misereor Germany will be on display at Museum de Schat van Simpelveld from Ash Wednesday March 5th, 2025 until Easter Monday April 21st, 2025.
The Lord of Dance, Sahi Jyoti (India 1976), copyright MVG Germany
Dreaming together – love be deed, Konstanze Trommer (Germany 2025), copyright Misereor Germany
The origin of ‘hunger cloths’
Hunger cloths were used as early as the Middle Ages. They hung in church in front of the altar during Lent. The cloths showed biblical stories and were called hunger cloths because of Lent, when hunger was frequent. After the Reformation in the 16th century, the use of hunger cloths disappeared.
Tradition renewed
To reflect on the life and suffering of Jesus in contemporary times, Misereor started a new tradition in 1976. The new canvases connect the tradition of fasting with global problems such as hunger and poverty.
The hunger cloths now used in many churches are copies of original works of art, printed on textile. The hunger canvases show the spiritual basis for sisterhood and brotherhood of all people. The paintings show hope for improvement, of unjust economic relations, and of dealing with nature.
On the right is the most recent work: Dreaming together – love be deed, Konstanze Trommer (Germany 2025), copyright Misereor Germany
Groups and school classes
Group guided tours (€30 – €50 depending on group size, excluding museum admission) and school visits (€30 up to a maximum of 20 pupils, maximum 2 classes at a time) are possible. Book these at least a week in advance via info@deschatvansimpelveld.nl.
This exhibition is enabled by:
