When is the Charles Ray exhibition open?

The exhibition is open from Tuesday to Sunday and on holidays from 11 AM to 6 PM. On Thursdays, extended hours until 8 PM apply.

How much does admission cost?

Regular admission costs 6 euros. The reduced admission is 4 euros, students and trainees pay 2 euros.

Is there free admission?

On Wednesdays, for children and youths up to 18 years, school classes, and students with a culture ticket, admission is free.

Are there guided tours of the exhibition?

The Fridericianum offers public tours. The costs are included in the admission; no registration is required.

Is the exhibition accessible?

Information on individual accessibility can be obtained directly from visitors at the Fridericianum at the provided contact address.

Does the exhibition contain representations of nudity?

Yes. The exhibition contains representations of nudity. The Fridericianum recommends viewing the work Oh! Charley, Charley, Charley... only from age 16 onwards.

Charles Ray in Kassel: Experience sculpture, body, and space at the Fridericianum

Name: Charles Ray
Start: 2026-10-01T11:00:00+02:00
End: 2027-01-03T18:00:00+01:00
Location: Fridericianum

Charles Ray at the Fridericianum: Sculpture as a Physical and Spatial Thinking Space

With Charles Ray, a significant artist of contemporary international art returns to Kassel. The Fridericianum presents the first institutional solo exhibition of the American sculptor in Germany from August 22, 2026 to January 3, 2027. The exhibition visit leads one into an intense artistic experience about physicality, spirituality, art history, and the question of how sculpture generates space.

When Sculpture Consists of Space Itself

Charles Ray does not understand sculpture as merely an object in space. His works develop an independent spatial presence that intertwines architecture, scale, and perception directly with one another. The weight of his works ranges from a few grams to nearly twenty tons. This range makes visible how differently material, volume, and physical experience interact in contemporary sculpture.

The contemplation of the works requires attention to surfaces, proportions, distances, and visual axes. Metal, plastic, and other materials do not appear with Ray merely as carriers of a form, but as means of a precise investigation into what makes a body perceivable as sculpture.

Art History as a Living Resonance Space

Ray's art engages with the genesis of art and the conditions of its installation. His sculptures exist in a productive dialogue with art historical traditions, from the classical figure to minimal art and expanded contemporary sculpture. This does not result in nostalgic retrospections, but in open situations where familiar notions of beauty, naturalness, and body are called into question.

Charles Ray, born in 1953 in Chicago and residing in Los Angeles since 1981, is counted among the most important sculptors of the 20th and 21st centuries. For over five decades, he continually expands and redefines the medium. Following his participation in documenta 9 in 1992, the exhibition at Fridericianum marks his first institutional solo exhibition in Germany.

Body, Scale, and Aesthetic Experience

The atmosphere of the exhibition arises from the interplay of monumental presence and disturbing proximity. Ray's works focus the attention on human figures, physical sensations, and sculptural situations that feel both familiar and foreign. The aesthetic experience emerges not only through seeing but also through one's movement through the spaces.

Particular attention is given to the work School Play from 2014. Works like Boy with frog and Oh! Charley, Charley, Charley... also showcase Ray's interest in physicality, staging, and the tensions between reality and artificial form. The Fridericianum notes that the exhibition contains representations of nudity. The work Oh! Charley, Charley, Charley... also suggests a virtual sexual act and is recommended for visitors ages 16 and up.

Engagement and Encounter with the Exhibition

Public tours with the Fridericianum's education team open additional perspectives on the presented works and the curatorial concept. The cost for the tour is included in the admission fee; registration is not required. The exhibition thus combines focused contemplation of works with cultural education and invites one to sharpen their own perception of space, material, and body.

Conclusion: A Significant Artistic Experience in Kassel

Charles Ray at the Fridericianum promises an exhibition of great physical and intellectual intensity. Monumental sculptures, art historical references, and precisely established spatial relations make the exhibition a challenging aesthetic experience. Anyone wishing to experience contemporary sculpture firsthand and rediscover the impact of sculpture in space should visit this exhibition live in Kassel.