When does the exhibition take place?

The exhibition runs from February 14, 2026, to July 19, 2026. The date mentioned here marks the visit time on April 14, 2026, at 11 a.m.

Where is the Fridericianum located?

The museum is located at Friedrichsplatz 18 in 34117 Kassel.

How much is the admission fee?

The regular admission is 6 euros, reduced fee is 4 euros. Admission is free on Wednesdays.

Are there guided tours or educational offerings?

Yes, the Fridericianum regularly offers public tours as well as booked tours and workshops. The current dates can be found in the event program.

Is the museum accessible?

The Fridericianum describes itself as an open house with low-threshold access. There is a discount for people with disabilities, assistance persons receive free admission, and guide dogs for the blind are allowed.

How can I get there by public transport?

Take tram lines 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, or 8 to the stop Friedrichsplatz.

Catherine Opie unfolds a silent, political image archive at the Fridericianum

Name: Catherine Opie – The pause that dreams against erasure
Start: 2026-04-14T13:00:00+02:00
End: 2026-07-19T20:00:00+02:00
Location: Fridericianum

Catherine Opie at the Fridericianum: Photography as a Visual Memory of the Present

The Fridericianum in Kassel presents The pause that dreams against erasure, the first institutional solo exhibition of Catherine Opie in Germany. The presentation, conceived by the artist as a site-specific installation, brings over three decades of artistic development into an intense dialogue with the architecture and history of the venue. The exhibition opens a space for artwork observation, aesthetic experience, and art historical reflection. ([fridericianum.org](https://fridericianum.org/ausstellungen/catherine-opie/))

Photography between Intimacy, Protest, and Memory

Since the early 1990s, Catherine Opie has developed a complex oeuvre of photography, film, artist books, and installation. Her images combine documentary precision with poetic density and are among the most influential positions of the contemporary period. Central themes include questions of identity, social influence, visibility, and alternative life concepts. ([fridericianum.org](https://fridericianum.org/ausstellungen/catherine-opie/))

Portraits, Landscapes, Movements

Key works from over thirty years are on display: early portraits from LGBTQIA+ communities, landscape series serving as resonant spaces for hope and trauma, and documentations of Black Lives Matter and protest marches during Donald Trump's presidency. Opie's visual language draws on the tradition of socially engaged photography and updates it with great empathy. ([fridericianum.org](https://fridericianum.org/ausstellungen/catherine-opie/))

A House with Historical Aura

The Fridericianum itself amplifies the impact of this exhibition. As one of the oldest public museums in Europe, with a dense program of mediation, guided tours, and workshops, it offers the appropriate framework for an exhibition that intertwines art history and contemporary politics. This exhibition is also Opie's first institutional solo exhibition in Germany and runs concurrently with a show at the National Portrait Gallery in London. ([fridericianum.org](https://fridericianum.org/ausstellungen/catherine-opie/))

Conclusion

The pause that dreams against erasure promises an immersive art experience between portraiture, landscape, and political testimony. Anyone wishing to experience photography as cultural memory, a societal archive, and aesthetic experience should definitely visit this exhibition in Kassel live. ([fridericianum.org](https://fridericianum.org/ausstellungen/catherine-opie/))