Art – Exhibition – Discourse

Public conference of the documenta Institut in cooperation with the Cultural Sociology Section of the German Sociological Association

Heinz Bude, Lars Gertenbach 

From June 25 to 27, 2026, the conference “Art – Exhibition – Discourse” will examine the mutual intertwining of art and theoretical discourse, as well as the associated attractions, inspirations, and appropriations. The aspect of the exhibition functions here as a hub, as a mediating instance between art and discourse, between aesthetics and theory, between performance and reflection. The conference is thus dedicated to this interlocking of art and theoretical discourse, taking documenta and other central stages of contemporary art in particular as examples of the tension between aesthetic forms and theoretical discourse.

Conference languages: German, English