Kölnischer Kunstverein

Die Brücke. Kölnischer Kunstverein
Foto: Simon Vogel

The renovated Brücke-building with its exhibition rooms, cinema, theatre, and studio spaces provides an ideal place to show the contemporary artistic positions that have long ceased to be limited to a specific medium of expression. The programme of exhibitions has been developed by Anja Nathan-Dorn and Kathrin Jentjens to utilize the architectural structure of the building, and has shown media-art, performances, concerts and films alongside one another, all on an equal footing. In the Kölnischer Kunstverein artists such as Judith Hopf, Michael Krebber, Olivier Foulon, Seth Price and Nora Schultz have initiated an artistic discourse on production conditions and on the notion of the artistic picture today, and these will continue to feature in the programme. In 2008 the prestigious Turner Prize was awarded to the artist Mark Leckey, largely as a result of his comprehensive solo exhibition Resident in the Kölnischer Kunstverein.

In its archival series Der springende Punkt (The Crucial Point) since 2007 the Kölnischer Kunstverein has presented annually changing exhibitions that take a look at archival and historical exhibitions that themselves,  because of their experimental character and special curatorial imprint, represent important historical points of reference to its programme of exhibitions.

In collaboration with the RheinEnergieStiftung Kultur (RheinEnergie Cultural Foundation), and the Imhoff Foundation, the Kölnischer Kunstverein has set up the Antenne Köln programme. This provides studio bursaries to support twenty young artists. The holders of the bursaries will have the chance to show their work to the public in events, concerts and readings. In this way local artistic production is integrated into an international artistic discourse. With this programme the Kölnischer Kunstverein is committing itself to improve the precarious working and living conditions of young artists in Cologne.

In recognition of the wide scope of its programming, the Art and Culture Foundation of the Sparda Bank West supports the Kölnischer Kunstverein in 2009. In 2010 Kölnischer Kunstverein is awarded by Kunststiftung NRW with the Jump-award.