The Europaische Kunsthalle Koln is looking for a Foundation Director
Deadline: November 15, 2004
Europaische Kunsthalle Koln
(European Art Hall Cologne)
Postal address:
Das Loch e.V. c/o Neumann+Luz,
Roonstrasse 108, D-50674 Koln, Germany
e-mail: info [at] das-loch.net
For more than twenty years the Cologne Art Hall (Kunsthalle Koln) wasn’t active anymore as an original institution of contemporary art – doubtlessly a reason for the decay of the formerly so important art-metropolis. In 2002, with the demolition of the Josef Haubrich-Forum, including the building of the former Kunsthalle Koln, a final spot was set on the cultural ambitions of the city administration.
But now, at last, Cologne is about to get back an Art Hall. The Registered Association “Das Loch e.V.” (“The Hole”), originally founded after the abridgment of the old Art Hall as a discerning instance of art producers (on the board: Rosemarie Trockel, Udo Kier, Kasper Konig, Marcel Odenbach) grasps the nettle of advertising the position of the Foundation Director for the Europaische Kunsthalle Koln (European Art Hall Cologne).
This association sees the Europaische Kusthalle Koln-project as a model experiment for the (self-) constitution of an institute of contemporary art.There is neither a civic mandate nor a concrete building. Thus it will all be about developing experimental forms of an Art Institution that shall find and forge its place and structures within the fabric of the city. It’s name, Europaische Kunsthalle Koln / European Art Hall Cologne, is programmatic and refers to the widened cultural context wherein the Art Hall shall constitute itself.
In order to find the Foundation Director and to attend the model experiment, the Registered Association has appointed a Foundation Council, consisting of Ulrike Groos (Kunsthalle Dusseldorf), Lioba Reddeker (basis wien), Kathrin Rhomberg (Kolnischer Kunstverein), Hans Ulrich Obrist (Musee d’ Art Moderne, Paris), Jose Lebrero Stals (CAAC, Sevilla), Yilmaz Dziewior (Kunstverein Hamburg), Daniel Birnbaum (Stadelschule and Portikus Frankfurt) as well as two board members of the Loch assiciation.
The project’s funding will be guaranteed by the capital of the Association and a capacious benefit performance auction on October 2nd, 2004. The Association’s exposure is, for the time being, limited to one year. The acquisition of further funds in order to ensure the continuation of the project will be already the concern of the Foundation Director.
The Foundation Director shall…
_ascertain modern and lasting forms of self-constitution and foundation of an “European Art Hall Cologne”, both place and project of contemporary art, realize it as action model in the cooperative discourse with the Foundation Council and the Association, and establish the Art Hall within the cultural tissue of the city.
_be knowledgable, ingenious and able to catch up with the shaping of structural, economic and political alliances on local, Euopean and international levels, realign the benchmarks of project planning to the mutated general social and economical framework and know how to challenge them in a pertinent way.
_be able to conduct, explore and enhance the conditions and methods of curating and showing contemporary art within the reflexion of its history and positions.
_link the Art Hall with other cultural fields according to requirements and make sure it is beneficial and appealing for the local production/living conditions of artists.
_develop and design experimental forms of working in divergent publicities and media for the encounter with contemporary art and its questions.
_participate in the discourses on the transformation of public space and urban life, social bonds and political action as part of the prerequisites, practices and projects ot the European Art Hall Cologne.
_know about the cultural conditions and possibilities of other urban situations in Europe and apply them in a copious way for the self-contained development of the European Art Hall Cologne.
Procedure:
Applications for employment and recommendations for candidates are to be sent to the Registered Association Das Loch until November 15, 2004 (showing the day’s postmark). There are no confinements in form and content. As intensive work on location is expected, good knowledge of the German language is definitely of advantage.
Next to a CV and references we ask for a short personal statement (max. 1 page DIN A 4) concerning the project European Art Hall Cologne. It is compulsive to send the applications as e-mail (attachments in pdf or word.doc) as well as by sending it by post.
e-mail: info@das-loch.net
Postal address: Das Loch e.V. c/o Neumann+Luz, Roonstrasse 108, D-50674 Koln, Germany
The applications will be kept in confidence. The Foundation Council will narrow down the choice and invite the candidates to Cologne for interviews. The selection process will be concluded by the end of November 2004 and the Foundation Director of the European Art Hall Cologne will be appointed.
For informations about the history of the project and the Registered Association please go to www.das-loch.net
