When exactly is NOW? When does the past transition into the NOW, and how long does it take? When does the future begin after the NOW?

The three-part exhibition deals with the desire for the fleeting and fragile, perhaps even intangible moments of the present between the past and the future. Seventeen contemporary artists seek to capture the NOW in the Weltkunstzimmer with paintings, videos, photographs, and installations.

In order for the NOW to become tangible, what came before and what will come after must also be considered. These three phases—past, present, and future—are the focus of the exhibition, which is now making a stop in Düsseldorf after Berlin and Dresden. Each phase is assigned a cultural and socio-political dimension. The exhibition at the Weltkunstzimmer focuses on a philosophical and contemplative look back at the past. Due to the current circumstances in times of Corona, this takes on a whole new, perhaps nostalgic and multi-layered dimension, which the exhibition at the Weltkunstzimmer takes into account. For the longing for the NOW takes on a new meaning in today's severely restricted times. Many long for the state of affairs before the pandemic, others wish for a post-coronavirus NOW with prospects – or perhaps both?

We perceive the NOW, as well as our longing for it, as a sequence of moments that we divide into past, present, and future. But what is the present, the moment, the instant, the NOW? When does it begin and when does it end? Can it even be grasped, or has it already passed by the time we become aware of it?
People have devised numerous strategies to live selflessly in the moment, and only in the moment. The (positive) moment should be enjoyed, and blocking out the past and future should lead to greatest happiness. Ultimately, it is always about the longing for contentment in the NOW – and in the future, which is usually strongly influenced by past experiences. Because we tend to romanticize the past. As Karl Valentin once said: The future used to be better too!
We long for fulfillment in the NOW, while at the same time hoping for a better future, whether here or in the hereafter—depending on our worldview—so that we cannot find peace. This is a contradiction of human life that probably cannot be resolved. 

But it is not only thoughts of the future that prevent us from remaining in the NOW; the past does too. We reflect on it in order to learn from it for today and tomorrow. We often get annoyed about our inadequacies. Instead of getting annoyed, we could take a more relaxed view. But serenity is not one of humanity's outstanding strengths, not even when dealing with what was and what will be.