Productive Spaces

To celebrate the 650th anniversary of the city of Krefeld, the Kunstmuseen Krefeld are staging a comprehensive exhibition of contemporary art and design under the theme of Productive Spaces. Around 90 works by more than 50 artists and designers of different generations who either live in Krefeld or have received valuable inspiration from the city are on display in Haus Lange and Haus Esters and their gardens. With paintings, sculptures, objects, photography, video installations and performances, as well as items from the worlds of product, communication and social design, the presentation offers a concentrated snapshot of the city’s broad creative output. 

The works have been selected and arranged according to a concept that understands space as a factor of production. The exhibition examines how art and design approach space from a variety of perspectives—whether social, political, communicative, economic or virtual, physical or conceptual. At the same time, it takes into account the unique architectural character of Haus Lange and Haus Esters: their fluid spatial concept not only dissolves the boundaries between inside and outside, stasis and movement, but also represents the modern and more liberal image of society that emerged in the 1920s. Ludwig Mies van der Rohe’s outstanding architectural ensemble thus becomes a platform for the city’s creative scene.

“Preparing this exhibition was a great pleasure for all of us,” explains Katia Baudin, director of the Kunstmuseen Krefeld. “The mere fact that we received well over 100 applications demonstrates the diversity of the work taking place in the ateliers, studios, and workshops of this city, as well as the design department of the Niederrhein University of Applied Sciences. Through intensive discussions with the team and a fruitful dialogue with numerous artists and designers, we have developed a unique exhibition that reveals the quality and pertinance of the local creative scene.”

Haus Lange is dedicated to visual art, Haus Esters to design, and there are also some works to be found in the gardens. In Haus Lange, the different works are arranged in thematic groups. Areas of focus include urban space, the interplay between sculpture and space, and our social living spaces. The rooms in Haus Esters are divided into categories: product design, social design, communication design, and ceramics. A separate area is dedicated to the renowned postmodern design collective Kunstflug.  Two participatory projects involving the public will accompany the exhibition.

Artists on display in Haus Lange: Hans Joachim Albrecht, Barbara Adamek, Soya Arakawa, Gaby Baltha, Frank Bernemann, Otto Boll, Mechtild Brahms, Astrid Busch, Volker Döhne, Simon Erath, Uwe Esser, Setsuko Fukushima, °dorisundgilla/2zkdb°, Sibylle Gröne, Gerhard Hahn, Wolfgang Hahn, Brigitta Heidtmann, Maike Jansen, Doris Kaiser, Gudrun Kemsa, Thomas Klegin, Mathias Lanfer, Lydia Mammes, Monika Nelles, Thomas Pöhler, Claudia Reich, REICHRICHTER, Matthias Schamp, Martin Schüten, Nicole Schwarzbach, Susanne Specht, Birgitta Thaysen, Johannes Trittien, Finn Wagner

Designers on display in Haus Esters: Hermann Becker, betont.es, Lennart Ebert, Manfred Emmenegger-Kanzler, Formkultur, Kerstin Froch, Michael Grandt, Amanda Haas, Norbert Krause, Kunstflug, NIRUK, Nika Rams, Florian Saul, Raphael Schmitz, Antje Schwittmann-Schops, sputnic Visual Arts, Vera Stassen, Julia Timmer, Petra Wolf, Julia Zejn

Curatorial team: Katia Baudin, Magdalena Holzhey, Thomas Janzen, Michael Krajewski, Sylvia Martin
Design advisory committee: Kerstin Plüm, Wienke Treblin and Thomas Turowski

Director: Katia Baudin

Press and public relations
Fabienne Kylla, Kunstmuseen Krefeld, T +49 (0)2151 97558-131 / fabienne.kylla [​at​] krefeld.de

The Kunstmuseen are a cultural institution of the city of Krefeld. Admission is free for children and young people under 18.