Art and culture from Kassel: The EXAMEN

With the annual EXAMEN exhibition from December 13 to 17, 2023, the Kunsthochschule Kassel will bid farewell to its graduates and master students.

Around 70 exhibitors from the fields of Fine Arts, Art Teaching, Art Science, Product Design and Visual Communication will present their diverse graduation projects to the public in the documenta hall: "EXAMEN is a unique exhibition format in Germany. It enables our graduates to realize an exhibition in an internationally renowned exhibition venue under the conditions that correspond to professional practice. The exhibition is possible thanks to the extraordinary financial and non-material support of the cdw Stiftung Kassel," emphasizes Prof. Dr. Martin Schmidl, Rector of the Kunsthochschule Kassel.

With the examination exhibition, the Kunsthochschule and the cdw Foundation can look back on ten successful years. The exhibition format has now firmly established itself as a platform in the cultural calendar of the city of Kassel. "As a city of culture, Kassel is also significantly shaped by young artists. As a cultural promotion of young talent, EXAMEN enables young artists and designers to gain experience, build networks and present themselves to a broad audience," explains Moritz Micalef, Art and Public Relations Officer at the cdw Foundation. By supporting this exhibition format, the foundation aims to constantly develop the framework conditions for young artists in Kassel. Micalef says: "338 graduates and master students have exhibited their work at EXAMEN so far. Through their participation, the exhibitors have gained important experience in the conception, planning, application and realization of a major exhibition".

This year's EXAMEN is curated by art historian, curator and author Mateo Chacón Pino and is subtitled "Particles / Exams / Tides". Chacón Pino explains the concept: "At Kunsthochschule, students acquire skills in one or more disciplines. As graduates, they decide what to do with these skills after graduation: Their potential is great. Like particles in quantum physics, their state in the field is still ambivalent: they are simultaneously still part of the Kunsthochschule, but are also already taking their first step out."

The exhibition shows a wide range of artistic and creative approaches: at the center of the exhibition are the goals, hopes and plans of the graduates, which they pursue in a wide variety of ways. On display are photographs, paintings, comics, sound, video works, performances, sculptures, product designs and multimedia installations.

For Chacón Pino, the curatorial challenge was to create an appealing story from the abundance and diversity of material: "Instead of a conservative approach, in which a judgment is made as to whether an exhibit is good or bad, whether it belongs to art or design, I decided to show visitors the potential of what can be achieved with art, design and creation," explains the curator.

Malin Kuht studied visual communication with a focus on video art and new media. She will be showing her graduation film "Blue Lights Waves Goodbye" in public for the first time at EXAMEN. "I am very pleased that the exhibition is taking place in the documenta hall, as this venue attracts a broad public. For me, EXAMEN is an important platform to show how versatile and relevant the Kunsthochschule and young artists in Kassel are. I hope that the exhibition will make it clear that cultural spaces and perspectives are important for creative artists. At the same time, I hope that EXAMEN will open up new places and perspectives for my work." Graduate Jonas Leichsenring (Visual Communication) is also pleased about the cdw Foundation's support for the exhibition format: "As a graduate, it's not a matter of course to show your own degree outside of the Kunsthochschule. "The exhibition also offers him networking opportunities: "For us exhibitors, it is a valuable opportunity to facilitate the transition from education to a professional career and to make contacts. I'm looking forward to the feedback and criticism from visitors to the exhibition."

EXAMEN will open on 13.12.23 at 6 pm. On the opening evening, two exhibitors will also be awarded the cdw Foundation and Kunsthochschule sponsorship prize: "With the sponsorship prizes, we want to create opportunities for the prizewinners to work intensively on the realization of new works after their studies and thus pursue their artistic careers," says Micalef.

All interested parties are cordially invited to EXAMEN 2023. Admission is free of charge. Information on the exhibition and the program at:
kunsthochschulekassel.de

(Text in German: Çiğdem Özdemir)

Link:
StadtLabor: The EXAMEN of the Kunsthochschule Kassel (07.12.23)