Accompanying programme: Lectures, guided tours and photographic interventions

Reinhart Koselleck (1923-2006) was one of the most important historians of the 20th century. What is less well known is that the Bielefeld-based historian concerned himself closely with images and visual representation. Koselleck explored the question as to the visual dimension to history and research into it – in his photographs, drawings and writing. The exhibition “Reinhart Koselleck’ Images of Time” opens on 18 April at Bielefeld University, ZiF Center for Interdisciplinary Research and Kunstverein Bielefeld, showcasing over 600 photographs and selected exhibits from the historian’s estate. Guests from all over Germany will come to Bielefeld during the exhibition, which runs through July, to present lectures or take part in the panel discussions. Moreover, there will be guided tours and photographic interventions by students over the same period.

The centrepiece of the exhibition: Koselleck’s photographs from Europe and USA. The estate with his pictures is currently housed at Deutsches Dokumentationszentrum für Kunstgeschichte – Bildarchiv Foto Marburg. A selection of photo portfolios will be brought to Bielefeld for the show – and these will go on display either in the original or as reproductions. The curators/project managers are: historian Dr. Bettina Brandt and art historian Dr. Britta Hochkirchen, both of Bielefeld University. Curator for the exhibition venue at Bielefelder Kunstverein is the association’s director, Thomas Thiel.

The exhibition will be on show in parallel at three venues that were important to Koselleck in Bielefeld, whereby a key thrust of his research is assigned to each.

The venue for the exhibition “Layers of Time” is the Dept. of History at Bielefeld University; it runs from 18 April - 20 July and shows how Koselleck’s photographs reflect simultaneous processes of change that take place at different speeds. The exhibition is at Bielefeld University, where he taught and did his research.
•    Opening with a lecture by Prof. Hubert Locher, Deutsches Dokumentationszentrum für Kunstgeschichte – Bildarchiv Foto Marburg, on “Traces of History in Images. Deliberations on art history’s interest in the political image in Koselleck’s time”.
Time & place: Wed., 18 April, 6 p.m., Bielefeld University, Building X, Universitätsstrasse 25, 33615 Bielefeld, Lecture Theatre E0-001
•    Panel discussion: “Why it is worth reflecting on science and exhibiting it through creative and artistic means”, with the curatorial team and experts from science, design and art from Bielefeld, Berlin and Leipzig.
Time & place: Tues., 5 June, 6 p.m., Bielefeld University, Building X, Room X-B2-103

Time & place: Dept. of History, Bielefeld University, Building X-A2, Universitätsstrasse 25, 33615 Bielefeld, opened: Mon. - Fri. 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., entrance free of charge

“Memory Sluices” at Bielefelder Kunstverein centres from 21 April - 8 July on the impact of both World Wars and the resulting different forms and places of memory. Reinhart Koselleck was a long-standing member of Bielefelder Kunstverein and a frequent visitor.
•    Opening: 20 April at 7 p.m.
•    Lectures: artist Arne Schmitt on: “Basalt. Sketches for a materials iconography at the beginning of the 21st century with a sideways glance at the historical oeuvre of Reinhart Koselleck” (Sat., 21 April, 3 p.m.); Prof. Steffen Siegel, Folkwang University of the Arts, Essen, on “Orientation in the Photo-Sphere,” (Tues., 15 May, 7 p.m.)
•    Infos: Bielefelder Kunstverein, Welle 61, 33602 Bielefeld, opened: Thurs.-Fri. 3-7 p.m., Sat.-Sun. 12 noon – 7 p.m., Mon.-Wed. on appointment by phone, entrance: EUR 3 (EUR 1.50 reduced rate), entrance is free for members of Bielelder Kunstverein, holders of a Bielefeld Pass, children and young people under 18 years of age, and Fridays.

“Political Sensuality” at ZiF Center for Interdisciplinary Research from April 24 – 17 July on Reinhart Koselleck’s photographic studies of how the political penetrates the body via our sense of sight – either of a horse and rider or  toy horses. From 1974-9, Reinhart Koselleck was on the ZiF’s directors.
•    Opening: 24 April, 6 p.m.
•    Time & Place: ZiF, Methoden 1, 33615 Bielefeld, opened Mon.-Thurs. 9 a.m. – 3.30 p.m., Fri. 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., entrance free of charge

The accompanying programme and other exhibition-related events can be consulted by downloading (In German):
http://www.uni-bielefeld.de/geschichte/zthf/dokumente/Begleitprogramm_RK.pdf

Public guided tours
Students of Bielefeld University will lead guided tours for visitors.
•    through all three venues: Sat., 5 May, 3 p.m., starting from Bielefelder Kunstverein
•    through “Memory Sluices” (Bielefelder Kunstverein): Sat., 23 June, 3 p.m.
•    through “Layers of Time” (Bielefeld University) and “Political Sensuality” (ZiF): Sat., 14 July, 3 p.m., meeting point: lobby of Building X, Bielefeld University

Interventions
Students of Bielefeld University of the Applied Arts, Dept. of Design will “intervene” in the exhibition. They will intervene in the existing exhibition by means of artistic/photographic reflections on the images in Koselleck’s estate and his research into images.
•    in “Layers of Time”, Bielefeld University, Building X-A2, Tues., 8 May, 6 p.m.
•    in “Political Sensuality”, ZiF, Thurs., 7 June, 6 p.m.,
•    in “Memory Sluices”, Bielefelder Kunstverein, Thurs., 28 June, 7 p.m.

For the exhibition, the Dept. of History at Bielefeld University is collaborating with Deutsches Dokumentationszentrum für Kunstgeschichte – Bildarchiv Foto Marburg, Bielefelder Kunstverein, ZiF Center for Interdisciplinary Research, the Bielefeld Graduate School in History and Sociology (BGHS) and the Bielefeld University of Applied Sciences, Faculty of Design. The exhibition patrons are the rector’s Office, Bielefeld University, the Dept. of History, the Center for Theories in Historical Research (ZTHF), the Collaborative Research Centre (SFB 1288) “Practices of comparing. Ordering and changing the world” and Universitätsgesellschaft Bielefeld.

Contact details for the curators:
Dr. Bettina Brandt, Bielefeld University
Tel.: +49-521-106-3238
E-mail: bettina.brandt@uni-bielefeld.de

Dr. Britta Hochkirchen, Bielefeld University
Tel.: +49- 521-106-67031
E-mail: britta.hochkirchen@uni-bielefeld.de

Thomas Thiel, Curator of the exhibition at Bielefelder Kunstverein
Tel.: +49- 521-178806
E-mail: kontakt@bielefelder-kunstverein.de

For further information:  
www.uni-bielefeld.de/koselleck-und-das-bild/