A new exhibition opening tomorrow in the German city of Kassel will provide Documenta, the influential contemporary art event that takes place there every five years, with a permanent presence on the first floor of the city’s Neue Galerie.
About: documenta presents art, documents, photographs and film relating to the history and reception of Documenta, whose first edition in 1955 marked Germany’s re-entry into international artistic dialogue after World War II with a presentation of art condemned as “degenerate” by the Nazis.
One room gives insight into preparations for the 15th edition of Documenta, which is scheduled to take place from 8 June-25 September 2022. It will be curated by the Indonesian art co-operative Ruangrupa. The Neue Galerie has been a Documenta venue since 1964, and since 1982, has built its own collection of art that has featured in the exhibitions, including works by Gerhard Richter, Markus Lüpertz and Susan Hiller.
The last edition of Documenta in 2017 drew 891,500 visitors to Kassel. The show’s enduring influence and popularity means that “it’s important we give Documenta a permanent place where its art and history can be experienced in the years in between the exhibitions,” Angela Dorn, the Hesse culture minister, said in a statement.
Kassel also plans to build a new €24 million Documenta Institute for research into the history, impact and significance of the exhibition. Four professors have been appointed. Located in the north of the city near the university, the institute is intended to host events, conferences and exhibitions alongside housing the Documenta archive.
