INVITATION FOR VERNISSAGE

TRANSHUMAN N°5
Dysis
Astali/Peirce, Birte Bosse, Simon Faithfull, Olga Fedorova, Stella Geppert, Bastian Hoffmann, Virginie Ittah, Delia Jürgens, Felix Kiessling, Frederik Marks, Aline Schwörer, Geerten Verheus

curated by Stephan Klee

The final group exhibition of 2026 is titled Dysis and brings together the works of twelve international artists around the annual theme “TRANSHUMAN” in the 320-square-meter exhibition spaces at the Old Town Hall in Göttingen. The exhibition features a mix of established artists and remarkable newcomers, placing their respective works in new, often illuminating contexts. We cordially invite you to the opening on Saturday, October 17. Several of the artists will be in attendance; an introduction, conversation starters, drinks, and snacks will be provided. We very much look forward to seeing you there.

Vernissage
Sat 17 Oct from 5 pm
Open until 8 pm
(Free admission)

Venue
Old Town Hall, Göttingen (1st floor)
Markt 9
37073 Göttingen

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“Thus, the works on display form a spatial network of artistic testimonies and traces of a former presence, of past activity. As at a crime scene, viewers can grasp the aftermath of something that once was, without being able to fully unravel what actually happened. Simon Faithful displays the flooded vacation resort of a civil engineer; Bastian Hoffmann contributes a Porsche engine that has melted onto the floor; Stella Geppert freezes the clay-stirred traces of a group of people at work; Birte Bosse installs pieces of broken-out concrete rebar; and Astali/Peirce place an already mineralized T-shirt—to name just a few examples.”

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PROGRAMME

Sat 17 Oct from 5 pm
Vernissage
Welcome speeches and introduction to the exhibition
The artists and the curator will be in attendance
Open until 8 pm
(Free admission)

Sun 1 Nov / Sun 8 Nov, both at 3 pm
Sunday tour
with Joos Ziegler and Stephan Klee respectively

Sat 7 Nov 2026 at 2 pm
The Long Afternoon of Art
with a guided tour and panel discussion
Open until 7 pm
(Free admission)

Sun 13 Dec 2026 at 3 pm
Finissage
with a guided tour by Stephan Klee
and closure
Open until 5 pm
(Free admission)

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Exhibition dates
18 Oct – 13 Dec 2026
Tue – Sun 11 am – 5 pm

Venue
Old Town Hall, Göttingen (1st floor)
Markt 9
37073 Göttingen

Admission
€3.00 / €1.50 (concession)
Free for visitors under 18
Free with the Kultur-Ticket
Free admission to Vernissages and Finissages

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Event images:
Simon Faithfull Reenactment for a Future Scenario no. 2: Cape Romano, HD video, 6min loop, 2019
Courtesy of the artist

 

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THE ANNUAL PROGRAMME

TRANSHUMAN (2026)
>POSTHUMAN (2027)

The Kunstverein Göttingen continues to follow the proven two-year biennial programme rhythm in order to enable the most in-depth examination possible of the programme’s overarching themes. After TERRA DIASPORA (2024–2025) explored contemporary phenomena, our current programme looks to the near and distant future.
The two-year programme TRANSHUMAN >POSTHUMAN (2026 > 2027) takes a critical look at the global transformation anticipated by some schools of thought: the transition from the anthropocentric humans of our time to the technically optimised transhumans of the near future and, even further into the future of our species, to posthumans. In short: the development of humanity from modern humanism to transhumanism to posthumanism.

The basic theme for the first year is TRANSHUMAN (2026) and includes four solo exhibitions and one group exhibition, bringing together artistic approaches and works to form a collection of perspectives and aspects of transhumanism. The formal and thematic basis of all exhibitions is the artistic exploration of the acceleration of technological development and capitalist growth, and the desired biotechnological optimisation of the human body and mind. The resulting social upheavals are already taking place in many ways in our present, with drastic consequences for coexistence within the span of a generation. These acute experiences flow into the visions of the approaching future and into the collective critical reflection of both the artists and our audience. With this in mind, a wide-ranging discourse and education programme is offered. We also aim to publish the annual programme again. The ideology of transhumanism should not be propagated uncritically, but rather deconstructed as critically as possible, collectively and on the basis of the works on display. We cordially invite all interested parties to join us.

 

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We would like to thank our sponsors: Stiftung Niedersachsen, Niedersächsisches Ministerium für Wissenschaft und Kultur, Stadt Göttingen, Sparkasse Göttingen und Landschaftsverband Südniedersachsen e.V.

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