About us
Kunsthalle Mainz
Concept
Organization
Facts & Figures
Kunsthalle Mainz
Subsequent to the redesign of Mainzer Zollhafen, the former Mainz customs port, and its transformation into a district of culture, one for living and working, it was immediately clear to developer and the project's initiator, Stadtwerke Mainz AG, that contemporary art would play a fundamental part in the undertaking. And thus the idea was born to set up Kunsthalle Mainz in the former boiler house that used to provide the customs port with energy. Now that Kunsthalle Mainz has opened a wish first expressed back in the 1980s has been fulfilled, the desire for a cultural establishment in the state of Rhineland Palatinate that focuses on presenting and communicating the work of contemporary artists.
The Berlin-based architectural bureau of Professor Günter Zamp Kelp was commissioned to convert the boiler house. The design called for this long, single-story brick building to be completely refurbished and accorded an entirely new function as well as for a narrow gap between buildings to be closed off. A tower has now been inserted into this space, 21 m tall and inclined at an angle of 7°. Its ground floor is 7 m in height and simultaneously represents the entrance to Kunsthalle Mainz. From here visitors can also access the Kunsthalle's café for which facility the former engine shed has been converted.
With a total of 840 m² of exhibition space, divided up into three large consecutive rooms in the old building and three cabinet-like rooms, one on top of the other in the tower (new building), the Kunsthalle buildings represent appropriate premises and offer the best prerequisites for the presentation of art.
Concept
Kunsthalle Mainz has been designed for changing exhibitions featuring contemporary art. Its self-appointed brief is to present and communicate art. It does not have a collection of its own.
One of the objectives of the newly founded institution that is Kunsthalle Mainz is to establish itself, in the city and the state of Rhineland Palatinate and beyond the borders of the region itself.
Kunsthalle Mainz aims to provide an insight into the various positions and methods of working in the art scene today using themed exhibitions, dialogue situations, monographic presentation and location/room-related interventions.
With this in mind, Kunsthalle plans on including, to an equal extent, both international and regional artwork in its exhibition activities – taking as its motto “broadening your horizons without forgetting your own cultural roots”.
The focus is on convincing people of the relevance of art, on its sensual potential and on its effects on perception and society. In all the attitudes adopted by contemporary artists and with the accompanying interest in different methods and conditions of production, today, fine arts reflect the entire range of what makes man what he is on a social, emotional and mental level.
There will be a communication program for each exhibition in the form of conducted tours or workshops, directed both at adults and at children and young people. Additionally, in the framework of the exhibitions there will be complementary events such as discussions, interviews with the artists and lecture series.
Organization
The organization behind Kunsthalle Mainz is the Kunsthalle Mainz Foundation. This foundation was put in place by Stadtwerke Mainz AG and pursues exclusively nonprofitmaking aims, particularly the promotion and communication of contemporary art. This objective is implemented at Kunsthalle Mainz. The artistic direction is responsible for the ideas behind the concepts and for the exhibition program. The Foundation's Board of Management consists of one member of the Board of Management at Stadtwerke Mainz AG, a representative of the City of Mainz and one of the State of Rhineland Palatinate.
This configuration also represents a concerted effort by the three partners to allow art to play a central role in a process affecting the city as a whole.
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Facts and Figures
1 March 2008 Opening of Kunsthalle Mainz
14 December 2007 Handover of keys
24 September 2007 Press conference introducing the Board of Trustees and the opening exhibition
01 March 2007 Artistic Direction assumes its responsibilities
12 February 2007 Deed of foundation awarded
31 January 2007 Topping out ceremony for the exhibitions tower and announcement of Artistic Direction
29 August 2006 Presentation of the guiding principles behind Kunsthalle Mainz
03 July 2006 Ground-breaking ceremony