FIDEM XXXVIII Munich, 14th–18th October, 2025  

World Exhibition of Modern Medallic Art

The World Exhibition of Modern Medallic Art takes place in Munich for the first time. On display are art medals that oscillate between classical form and modern small sculpture. At the heart of the exhibition are the antique collections on Königsplatz, where works from Europe, Oceania, Asia and America, which have already won awards in their countries of origin, enter into a dialog under the heading Our Myths, Our Roots. The diversity of the countries is reflected in the objects, which open up different perspectives on current and timeless themes.

The medal is part of a 500-year-old tradition that originated in Renaissance Italy and found its most famous representative in Germany in Albrecht Dürer. Then as now, medals are usually double-sided, with the main side presenting the motif and the other a symbol as a commentary. While German or US medal art often takes up political themes, countries such as the Netherlands and Latvia are known for their avant-garde small sculptures. Japan and New Zealand, on the other hand, are particularly sensitive to indigenous traditions.

The event is organized by the Staatliche Münzsammlung München under the direction of the Fédération Internationale de la Médaille d'Art and its president Philip Attwood, former director of the British Museum London. The patron of the event is HRH Duke Franz of Bavaria. The venues are the State Collections of Antiquities, the Central Institute for Art History, the Amerikahaus and our own museum. The main exhibition will be enriched by a comprehensive program of lectures by leading medal experts, artist workshops and further exhibitions in the city.

Tickets for the congress