State of Exhibition in Kassel: Exhibiting Itself Becomes Art
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State of Exhibition: When Exhibiting Itself Becomes the Subject of Research
The exhibition State of Exhibition at the exhibition hall of the Kunsthochschule Kassel focuses on a central question of contemporary art: What happens when not only artworks but also their presentation, arrangement, and mediation become the subject of an exhibition? The project connects artistic research, curatorial practice, and art historical reflection.
Exhibiting as Artistic Practice
At the center are new works by students from various fields of the Visual Arts program. They were specifically developed on the topic of exhibiting and investigate how spaces, perspectives, materials, media, and institutional conditions shape the perception of art. Installations, videos, objects, and visual comments come together to create an open exhibition atmosphere in which the conditions of displaying become visible.
Historical Positions and Contemporary Art
Two historical positions expand the presentation. Marcel Duchamp's legendary Boîte-en-valise refers to mobile collection, reproduction, and the question of how selection and presentation alter the meaning of an artwork. Selected videos from Helke Bayrle's series Portikus under construction draw attention to institutional processes, spatial transformations, and the infrastructure of exhibiting.
Curatorial Research and Exhibition Studies
An interview with Felix Vogel serves as an important conceptual starting point. The focus is not on the definitive definition of the exhibition but on exhibiting as a process, practice, and subject of research. A historical timeline of various attempts to document significant exhibitions and collections complements the artistic works. Further visual comments make curation itself the subject of the artwork consideration.
Kassel as a Laboratory for Cultural Education
The project developed by Martin Schmidl and Defne Kizilöz aims to contribute to an emerging cluster for exhibition studies in Kassel. Since the establishment of the documenta Institute, this field of research has gained importance. The exhibition hall of the Kunsthochschule serves as an open testing and experimenting ground, where aesthetic experience, cultural education, and institutional self-reflection intertwine.
Participating Artists
The exhibition features Helke Bayrle, Linda Deuse, Marcel Duchamp, Nele Karnebogen, Nikolaj Lölke, Mani Lotfi, Paul Mayer, Marlon Meng, and Pia Sispela, also known as PMS. The different positions navigate through questions of collection, presentation, authorship, and visual communication.
Opening and Visiting
The opening will take place on October 21, 2026, at 6 p.m. Martin Schmidl and Defne Kizilöz will speak. The exhibition runs from October 22 to November 22, 2026, and is open from Thursday to Sunday from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Conclusion: An Artistic Experience Addressing the Perspective of the Exhibition
State of Exhibition welcomes art enthusiasts with a concentrated connection of student research, historical references, video, installation, and curatorial self-reflection. Those who want to understand how exhibitions direct perception and generate knowledge will experience an inspiring aesthetic experience here. A visit on-site opens new perspectives on art, space, and institutional practice.
Official Channels of the Exhibition Hall Kunsthochschule Kassel:
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- Website: https://kunsthochschulekassel.de/
