Brandenburg has been the first German state to begin a tentative relaxation of its current lockdown rules, with a gradual re-opening of museums and art galleries. Other states are set to follow suit over the course of the next two weeks. Belgium and Italy have also signalled a cautious lifting of restrictions from mid-May in what will prove to be a test for artistic institutions as they prepare for a gradual return to ‘normal’.

These re-openings are conditional on the premises’ ability to administer strict security measures. As Artmag associate, artist Dieter Weissenberger explains, some galleries are beginning to re-open, under the same conditions as other shops: that a social distance of at least 1.5m be maintained and hand-hygiene provided; wearing a mask is mandatory, and a maximum of people in the room is set at only one visitor every 15 square metres. Additional measures include the installation of plexiglass and card-only transactions.