- documenta
Past, present and future of the documenta exhibitions
What began in 1955 in the Fridericianum, at that time still alongside the Federal Garden Show, is today one of the most important exhibition series for contemporary art in the world. Founded by Arnold Bode, documenta opened for the first time in Kassel on July 15, 1955. A total of 15 editions of documenta have taken place since then. documenta 16 is currently in preparation and will open in Kassel in 2027.
To mark the 70th anniversary of documenta, exhibitions, talk and lecture series, concerts and performances, book presentations and social media campaigns throughout 2025 will invite visitors to engage with the eventful history and future of this internationally unique exhibition series. A ceremony on June 7 will commemorate the founding of documenta and at the same time open a city-wide intervention by documenta 12 artist Cosima von Bonin.
Sven Schoeller, Chairman of the documenta Supervisory Board and Lord Mayor of the City of Kassel, emphasizes the international appeal of documenta and its positive impact on the city's society: "documenta is not only one of the world's most important exhibitions of contemporary art, but also plays a central role in the cohesion and self-confidence of the people of Kassel. As a recurring major cultural event, it attracts international attention and transforms Kassel into a center of artistic exchange. The anticipation for the upcoming documenta 16 in 2027 is particularly great, as Naomi Beckwith, a curator with great international connections, is taking over as artistic director."
"The program accompanies this special documenta anniversary with excitement and variety. It has an impact on urban society and uses performances, discussion rounds and interactive formats to shed light on how this unique art exhibition shapes the present - and at the same time is shaped by world events. There will be plenty of room for a critical view. I am looking forward to a stimulating anniversary program of the Hessian beacon, which will also attract a great deal of attention beyond the borders of our federal state," says Minister of Art and Culture Timon Gremmels.
The Managing Director of documenta, Andreas Hoffmann, points out the immense responsibility and unique opportunity that comes with hosting this important and often controversial exhibition. "On this anniversary, we are taking the opportunity to talk about the past, present and future of documenta - from all perspectives. On the one hand, the focus is on a critical review of central aspects of the exhibitions, such as the staging of individual artist personalities or the role of the discourse-defining curatorial personality at the head of documenta, as well as the search movement towards new forms of curating, exhibiting and a rapidly changing idea of what art could be or what is expected of it in terms of social coexistence. The special thing about the documenta is that it is being continued in a critical discourse with its own history and artistic references, while at the same time a history of reception has emerged that influences the entire art and cultural scene and is constantly being re-examined. Picking up on this dynamic and transforming it into a productive idea for future documenta editions is the great challenge we are currently facing in the 70th year of the exhibition's history."
The complete program can be found here.
You can download images here.
Highlights of the anniversary year
Ceremony 70 years of documenta and opening of the intervention 7000 Palms by Cosima von Bonin
June 7, 2025, 6 p.m.
Fridericianum
Followed by a panel discussion with former and current artistic directors of documenta 70 years of documenta in Kassel:
Reception and get-together in the courtyard of the Fridericianum
Cosima von Bonin: 7000 Palms
June 7 - September 28, 2025
In the context of the 70th anniversary of documenta, the Fridericianum is presenting an extraordinary project by the artist Cosima von Bonin, who was born in Mombasa in 1962 and now lives in Cologne. It is about creativity, community and celebratory moments, but also about references to the history of art and documenta as well as social interaction.
The central artistic element is a chain of pennants, whose flags are not the usual triangular shape, but the silhouette of a palm tree, which can also be found in other works by the artist. All residents of Kassel - children, young people and adults - are invited to decorate their city together with the chains of pennants. In this way, as many people as possible will be integrated into the unusual art project and participate in the experience. The Fridericianum will also be organizing workshops, activities, performances and concerts that will open up a conversation about art, creativity and the city and facilitate encounters and exchange.
Cosima von Bonin is one of the defining positions of her generation. She was involved in documenta 12 in 2007 and the Venice Biennale in 2022. Her work has been recognized internationally through institutional solo exhibitions at Kunsthaus Bregenz (2010), Museum Ludwig in Cologne (2011), MUMOK - Museum moderner Kunst Stiftung Ludwig Wien (2014), SculptureCenter in New York (2016) and Mudam - Musée d'Art Moderne Grand-Duc Jean in Luxembourg (2024).
Mario García Torres: A History of Influence
The exhibition
March 15 - July 27, 2025
Fridericianum
Opening: Friday, March 14, 2025, 7 pm
Children's vernissage: Friday, March 14, 2025, 5.30 - 7 p.m.
Press preview: Thursday, March 13, 2025, 11.30 a.m.
Mario García Torres' first solo exhibition in Germany gives visitors an insight into his conceptual art practice, with which he astutely and humorously creates new stories from history. The show by the documenta 13 participant at the Fridericianum is extensive and characterized by multimedia: Paintings, slide projections, film, photographic and sound works as well as sculptures lead guests on a cheerful stroll through the past decades of documenta, among other things. Despite the intensity of the presentation, the themes that fascinate García Torres - such as chance and boredom - are conveyed in an accessible and uncomplicated way. The artist, who was born in Mexico in 1975, lets well-known elements from pop culture or likeable characters such as the fluffy Xoco or an electronically controlled turtle speak for themselves.
Art in dispute - anti-Semitism and post-colonial debate at documenta fifteen
Meron Mendel and Heinz Bude
Book presentation of the documenta Institute
April 1, 2025, 7 p.m.
Fridericianum
The volume Kunst im Streit (Art in Dispute ) is the result of the research project on anti-Semitism and postcolonialism at documenta fifteen led by Heinz Bude and Meron Mendel. It analyzes the entire dynamic of the postcolonial discourse on rights of speech and silence, on fundamental taboos of representation and necessary visualizations, on the condemnation of hatred of Jews and indignation about racism surrounding documenta 15. It also takes into account the immediate prehistory of the art show, the role of the city of Kassel as a "documenta city", the significance of "criticism of Israel" in the postcolonial discourse, as well as the question of the limits of art and the associated ideas of anti-Semitism and postcoloniality.
documenta lessons. Learning from, with and without art.
Series of talks
documenta Institute
May 6 - July 1, 2025
Different venues
From the very beginning, the documenta exhibitions have been about learning with and through art. For the founders, it was learning through the imagination of a starting point before the catastrophe of a lost war and a completed genocide; for Bazon Barock, it was learning about democracy using the example of the self-authorization of art beyond established culture; and from documenta 10 onwards, it was learning about learning beyond the European educational canon. At documenta fifteen, the unlearning of art as a task of art was even on the program.
After 70 years of documenta, this history of learning is to be considered in a series of talks. Has today's audience not emancipated itself from this idea of exemplary learning through art or science? Hasn't the idea of "useful art" long since abandoned the idea of learning through the form of art? Or is this whole learning complex not a strange idea of 19th century Europe's education-mindedness?
Masters of the universe, do you know what you're doing?
Kick-off:Eva Maria Stadler and Heinz Bude
May 6, 2025, 6:30 p.m.
Fridericianum
Every documenta had its own hidden curriculum. It has always been about democracy, freedom and the way to have a voice and raise it. But what is the relationship between the autonomy of art and the political demands on art? And how can art be taught under these conditions? And what role does the audience play? With reference to Pierre Bourdieu, the discussion between Heinz Bude and Eva Maria Stadler will discuss the question of the effectiveness of art and what this means for the teaching of art.
Revisitations
series of talks
June 5, 2025, 7 p.m.
Kick-off: Carolyn Christov-Bakargiev, Artistic Director of documenta 13 (2012), in conversation with the artist Mario García Torres
Fridericianum
Revisitations: (Re)encounters and new perspectives. The Fridericianum and the documenta archiv flank the exhibition program of the Kunsthalle with a top-class series of talks: three former documenta curators are guests at the Fridericianum, which this year presents two documenta participants, Mario García Torres and Cosima von Bonin.