Between Shapes at GRIMMWELT Kassel: Helga Gebert's Art of Storytelling
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Between Shapes: Helga Gebert's Narrative Imagery at GRIMMWELT Kassel
The exhibition BETWEEN SHAPES is dedicated to the art of storytelling in image and word. At GRIMMWELT Kassel, visitors encounter the versatile work of author and illustrator Helga Gebert, whose fairy tale images open up vibrant in-between spaces between traditional stories, personal memories, and contemporary interpretations.
When Images Transform Stories
Helga Gebert is among the defining artists of German children's and youth literature from the 1970s to the 1990s. For the publisher Beltz & Gelberg, she created illustrations for the tales of the Brothers Grimm and for stories from One Thousand and One Nights. Her visual language combines fantastic characters, sensitive observation, and a distinctive narrative rhythm.
The exhibition questions what role illustrations play in the storytelling process. Images further stories, contradict familiar notions, and open up new readings. From the examination of the works emerges an aesthetic experience where word, line, figure, and cultural tradition influence each other mutually.
Between Fairy Tales, Memory, and the Present
Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Aladdin, dragons, and djinn appear in Gebert's works as familiar yet surprising figures. Body postures, facial expressions, and compositional relationships alter the perspective on well-known narrative materials. The exhibition makes visible how fairy tale images inscribe cultural imprints, hierarchies, and forms of appropriation.
Biographical insights, sources of inspiration, and indications of Gebert's social engagement expand the art-historical context. The curation connects painting, drawing, illustration, and narrative visual spaces into an exhibition that highlights both the development of children's and youth literature and the relevance of visual storytelling forms.
An Artistic Experience for Adults and Children
Interactive elements and a riddle trail for children invite different generations to actively engage with Helga Gebert's work. Families discover character worlds and fairy tale motifs in a playful way, while adults explore the material, compositional, and cultural-historical qualities of the illustrations.
The exhibition atmosphere thrives on the interplay between concentrated image observation and narrative discovery. An exhibition catalog deepens the themes and offers additional perspectives on the artist, her working methods, and the cultural significance of illustration.
Conclusion: Learning to See Fairy Tales
BETWEEN SHAPES promises an inspiring artistic experience between literature, illustration, and cultural education. The exhibition shows how images not only accompany stories but also transform, question, and reinvigorate them. Art enthusiasts, families, and lovers of fairy tales should definitely experience the aesthetic journey at GRIMMWELT Kassel live.
Official Channels of Helga Gebert and GRIMMWELT Kassel:
- Instagram: no official profile found
- Facebook: no official profile found
- YouTube: no official profile found
- Website: https://www.grimmwelt.de
