Artistic Goodbyes at Kunsthalle Düsseldorf
Kunsthalle Düsseldorf, a renowned art institution, is currently hosting a series of captivating exhibitions and installations that cater to a wide range of art enthusiasts. The highlights include the Bernd and Hilla Becher Prize 2025 exhibition, the Between Books Art Book Fair, and Chronotopic Recordings.
The Bernd and Hilla Becher Prize 2025 exhibition, running from June 7 to September 7, showcases the works of Ursula Schulz-Dornburg and Farah Al Qasimi. Ursula Schulz-Dornburg, the main prizewinner, presents work exploring cultural-historical and anthropological themes, while Farah Al Qasimi, awarded the sponsorship prize, examines post-colonial power structures, gender, and taste in the Arab Gulf states.
Ursula Schulz-Dornburg, who has received the Bernd and Hilla Becher Prize for photography, expressed her pleasure about the exhibition, calling it a "great museum." The exhibition also includes art sound installations "In the cinema" and "An archive" about the 20-year history of "Salon des Amateurs."
The Bernd and Hilla Becher Prize exhibition is not limited to photography. A portrait of a young soldier ("Hamed") by Farah Al Qasimi is part of the exhibition, but the photographer is not present. This poignant portrait was taken two days before the subject's death, according to the city's photography expert Stephan Macháč.
The Kunsthalle's Cinema Hall will host 13 audiovisual installations by various artists until September. One such installation focuses on the forgotten individuals of China's economic miracle in factories and humble dwellings, created by Chinese artist Wang Bing. The art association in the first floor of the Kunsthalle is presenting films and photographs by Wang Bing ("The Weight of the Invisible, Part II") until August 24.
Apart from the Bernd and Hilla Becher Prize exhibition, the Kunsthalle Düsseldorf's first floor displays photos and films about the 20-year history of "Salon des Amateurs." The younger generation found this music club, founded in 2004, cooler than the modern celebrated during Jürgen Harten's tenure (until 1998), which had a museum café with a view of the Grabbeplatz.
In addition to the current exhibitions, Kunsthalle Düsseldorf will host the Between Books Art Book Fair from September 19 to 21, 2025. This event features around 80 exhibitors including independent art book publishers and artists from Germany and neighboring European countries, accompanied by workshops, talks, and performances to explore art books and alternative publishing practices.
Lastly, Chronotopic Recordings will be shown from August 26 to 31, 2025, as part of ArtArtist 2025. The exhibition "Opytnoe Pole" by Ursula Schulz-Dornburg, taken in Kazakhstan in 2012, is also part of the Bernd and Hilla Becher Prize exhibition. This body of work presents images of ruins from the Soviet atomic bomb testing site, evoking a sense of silent melancholy.
Admission to the exhibition at the Kunsthalle is 6 euros. The frame program for the exhibition can be found on www.kunsthalle-duesseldorf.de. These diverse exhibitions and installations provide a captivating exploration of contemporary photography, book arts, and installation works at Kunsthalle Düsseldorf.
The Bernd and Hilla Becher Prize 2025 exhibition extends beyond traditional photography, featuring art sound installations and portraits. (home-and-garden) The Between Books Art Book Fair, happening from September 19 to 21, 2025, in Kunsthalle Düsseldorf, will offer a window into art books and alternative publishing practices. (lifestyle)
