How long will the exhibition last?

The exhibition will be on view at Fridericianum from February 14, 2026, to July 19, 2026.

What are the opening hours of the Fridericianum?

It is open Tuesday to Sunday and on public holidays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and on Thursdays until 8 p.m. additionally.

What is the cost of admission?

Regular admission costs 6 euros, reduced 4 euros. Admission is free on Wednesdays.

Are there tours of the exhibition?

Yes, Fridericianum regularly offers public tours. The costs are included in the admission.

Is the museum accessible?

Yes, access to the building and exhibition spaces is possible via an outdoor ramp and two elevators. There are accessible toilets and museum stools available for loan.

How do I get to Fridericianum?

The museum is located at Friedrichsplatz in Kassel, about 200 meters from the Friedrichsplatz stop. Parking is available in the nearby Friedrichsplatz underground garage.

The pause that dreams against erasure

Name: Catherine Opie – The pause that dreams against erasure
Start: 2026-05-01T13:00:00+02:00
End: 2026-07-19T20:00:00+02:00
Location: Fridericianum

Catherine Opie at Fridericianum: When photography becomes a space for identity

With The pause that dreams against erasure, Fridericianum presents the first institutional solo exhibition by Catherine Opie in Germany. The presentation developed specifically by the artist for Kassel unfolds a concentrated yet poetic art experience: photographs, series, and documentary works enter into a dialogical relationship with the architecture and history of the historic museum building.

A work about visibility, belonging, and resistance

Since the early 1990s, Catherine Opie has developed a multifaceted oeuvre that shapes both portrait photography and contemporary documentary photography. Her early images from LGBTQIA* communities became precise representations of self-design, intimacy, and social presence. At the same time, her gaze refers to the tradition of socially engaged photography, which Opie transfers into the present with great sensitivity and formal clarity.

Landscapes, bodies, politics: a visual language with attitude

The exhibition brings together bodies of work spanning over three decades. Landscapes in Opie's work do not appear as mere views of nature, but as resonance spaces for hopes, traumas, and identity questions. In addition, there are documentary works related to movements such as Black Lives Matter and protest marches in the context of Donald Trump's presidency. This creates an exhibition that intricately intertwines aesthetic experience and social reality.

Dialogue with a historic site

The Fridericianum, one of the oldest public museums in Europe, offers a unique stage for this presentation. The site-specific curation uses light, space, and perspective to create a vivid tension between Opie's photographs and films and the building. Anyone engaging in the contemplation of works here experiences not only images but also a precise staging of publicness, memory, and democratic participation.

Why a visit is worthwhile

This exhibition shows why Catherine Opie is considered one of the most influential figures of the present: due to her formal rigor, emotional depth, and unwavering attention to people and social spaces. Anyone wishing to experience art history, contemporary photography, and cultural education in a single exhibition should not miss this date in Kassel. A visit to the Fridericianum promises an intense, resonant look at the present.