New Artistic Direction for Skulptur Projekte 2027 in Münster, Germany

The Skulptur Projekte, which have taken place every ten years since 1977, have established themselves as a globally significant exhibition that explores the relationship between art and the public. Since its foundation by Dr Klaus Bußmann, the former director of today's LWL Museum of Art and Culture, Kasper König, who passed away on 9 August, was the long-standing artistic director of the exhibition until his retirement after Skulptur Projekte 2017. The Skulptur Projekte are organised by the Landschaftsverband Westfalen-Lippe (LWL) and the City of Münster.

In summer 2027, the sixth edition of Skulptur Projekte will celebrate its 50th anniversary. The director of the LWL, Dr Georg Lunemann, said on Wednesday (21 August) in Münster: "The Skulptur Projekte are to be understood as a seismograph of their time. They are a unique event in the region and far beyond, which is strongly influenced by current developments in art and contemporary history. In 2027, the artists will once again create projects under different circumstances: Themes such as democracy, war, resources, growth and climate will certainly play a role."

By constantly exploring the relationship between art and the public, Skulptur Projekte has established itself as a globally significant exhibition over the past five decades. The Lord Mayor of the City of Münster, Markus Lewe, emphasised: "Every ten years, the Skulptur Projekte transform Münster into an international art centre that attracts interested people from all over the world. The immense attention that our city receives as a result raises our cultural profile and positions us as an important centre for the international art scene. At the same time, the Skulptur Projekte promote long-term partnerships and networks that make a lasting contribution to the development of our city."

Cornelia Wilkens, Head of Cultural Affairs for the City of Münster, also emphasised the importance of the Skulptur Projekte and the influence of the new artistic director: "With the Skulptur Projekte, Kasper König has created a space in which international artists challenge and inspire our city with their works. In this respect, Münster is a lively field of experimentation that shows how art and the city are in constant dialogue with each other and can constantly evolve through friction and debate. This visionary understanding of art in urban space is now receiving further impetus from outside through the new artistic direction."

The transfer of artistic direction to WHW marks the end of an era. In order to ensure that the change is professionally sound, the exhibition organisers consulted around 120 experts who submitted proposals to a seven-member international selection committee. The commission, consisting of Dr Christine Litz (spokesperson), Dr Nora Sternfeld, Hamza Walker, Dr Hermann Arnhold, Dora Garcia, Anh-Linh Ngo and Zdenka Badovinac, brought together a wide range of experience, thematic focuses and geographical and age-related perspectives from the fields of contemporary art and architecture.

After a thorough examination of the curatorial concepts, it recommended WHW as the new artistic director. The sponsors followed this suggestion. WHW impressed them with its clear focus and strong artistic profile, which addresses the pressing issues of our time.

LWL Head of Cultural Affairs Dr Barbara Rüschoff-Parzinger: "In WHW, we have found a management team that is able to establish Skulptur Projekte as a platform for open discussions and respond constructively to current global challenges. This is of great importance, especially for German cultural institutions."

The Federal Cultural Foundation is funding the project with one million euros. Kirsten Haß, Director of the Federal Cultural Foundation: "Skulptur Projekte Münster is a unique format for contemporary art in public spaces that expands the concept of sculpture. The What, How & for Whom collective focuses on transcontinental, performative art and ecological sustainability and actively involves both urban society and virtual spaces. In this way, Münster will once again become a place where the transformation of the urban public sphere and art in public space can be experienced."

Over the past three decades, WHW has focussed its work on questions of collectivity. The group primarily investigates the connection between repressed history and the pressing problems of the present. The three curators are eagerly awaiting the next edition of Skulptur Projekte.WHW: "Following the success of previous editions, we want to further develop the legacy of Skulptur Projekte. To do this, we want to introduce new artistic proposals and ways of thinking that have not yet been seen in Münster. We want to address the social and political tensions of the present through our work with the artists and the city, building on the practices of feminism and collectivism as well as the many previous experiments with public art. How can art in public space today meaningfully address the fragility of democracy, ecology and coexistence? Can it strengthen mutual respect and self-determination? How can we reformulate the pedagogical claim that the Skulptur Projekte have had since their beginnings? These are the questions that will characterise our curatorial journey over the next three years."

WHW proposes to understand the "transnational public space" as a place where the relationships between artists and the public can be explored in the context of Skulptur Projekte 2027 and where the complex challenges of today can be addressed. This space can exist both in a concrete location such as Münster and in digital or real "other worlds" that influence the consciousness of many people worldwide. The curators emphasise that the conversations they will have with artists and local communities over the coming year will be crucial to the conceptualisation of the project.

Main Image: Das internationale Kuratorinnenkollektiv "What, How and for Whom/WHW", bestehend aus (v.l.) Sabina Sabolovic, Natasa Ilic und Ivet Curlin, ist die neue künstlerische Leitung der Skulptur Projekte 2027.
Foto: Hanna Neander