- documenta
- documenta archiv
The digital conference on June 11, 2021 is dedicated to the history of the first documenta exhibition (1955) and the connection of its curators to National Socialism. The conference is a collaboration between the Kunsthochschule Kassel/Universität Kassel and the documenta archiv and can be followed via livestream on Youtube.
Digital conference
Friday, June 11, 2021, 10 am – 5 pm
Livestream via YouTube (in German): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eHMufRVVb8
Moderation: Dr. Birgitta Coers and Prof. Dr. Kai-Uwe Hemken
The Kunsthochschule Kassel (Art Studies) and the documenta archiv are organizing a public digital conference on the connection of the first documenta with National Socialism. The event focuses on the exhibition's co-curators at the time, Werner Haftmann and Kurt Martin, who demonstrably held NSDAP membership (Haftmann) or were employed as curators (Martin) during the Nazi dictatorship. In addition, the question is explored with what motivation works from the “Degenerate Art” exhibition were shown at the first documenta.
Speakers include:
Ingo Arend, Wolfgang Benz, Tabea Brinkmann, Heinz Bude, Nanne Buurman, Nikola Doll, Christian Fuhrmeister, Dorothee Gerkens, Eckhard Gillen, Walter Grasskamp, Stefan Greif, Ayşe Güleç, Katja Häckel, Pia Jansen, Alexis Joachimides, Justus Lange, Stefan Koldehoff, Gerhard Panzer, Alexia Pooth, Volker Rattemeyer, Tessa Rosebrock, Thomas Rudert, Anna Rühl, Sabine Schormann, Sylvia Stöbe, Julia Voss, Lena Voss, and Alexandra Winterhoff.
Program:
10 – 11:30 am
NSDAP membership and curating during the Nazi era
Moderation: Dr. Birgitta Coers, Prof. Dr. Kai-Uwe Hemken, Dr. Harald Kimpel
Speakers: Ingo Arend, Wolfgang Benz, Heinz Bude, Christian Fuhrmeister, Ayşe Güleç, Katja Häckel, Alexia Pooth, Tessa Rosebrock, Thomas Rudert, Sylvia Stöbe
11:30 am – 12:30 pm
Break
12:30 – 2:00 pm
Relationship of historical individuals to modern art and art criticism
Moderation: Coers, Hemken, Kimpel
Speakers: Dorothee Gerkens, Eckhard Gillen, Stefan Greif, Pia Jansen, Alexis Joachimides, Gerhard Panzer, Julia Voss
2:00 – 3:00 pm
Break
3:00 – 4:30 pm
Continuities: Nazi networks, art trade, collectors, cultural policy. Modern artworks as part of “Degenerate Art” and first documenta exhibits
Moderation: Coers, Hemken, Kimpel
Speakers: Tabea Brinkmann, Nanne Buurman, Nikola Doll, Walter Grasskamp, Stefan Koldehoff, Justus Lange, Tessa Rosebrock, Anna Rühl, Lena Voss, Alexandra Winterhoff
4:30 – 5:00 pm
Concluding panel: Questions! Answers? Questions!
Moderation: Coers, Hemken, Kimpel
Speakers: Heinz Bude, Nikola Doll, Eckhard Gillen, Katja Häckel, Pia Jansen, Alexis Joachimides, Stefan Koldehoff, Volker Rattemeyer, Sabine Schormann, Julia Voss
A collaboration between the Kunsthochschule Kassel/Universität Kassel and the documenta archiv, Kassel.
The conference is funded by the Fritz Thyssen Stiftung.
Press release to download (PDF)
Further information:
documenta archiv
Kunsthochschule Kassel