Exhibition program 2024

As the first highlight of the year, the Schirn Kunsthalle Frankfurt is presenting THE CULTURE: Hip Hop and Contemporary Art in the 21st Century (February 29–May 26, 2024). Coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the birth of hip hop, it is dedicating a major interdisciplinary exhibition to hip hop’s profound influence on current art and cultural landscape. Grounded in the origins of hip hop in the United States, yet with a focus on art and music from the last twenty years, the exhibition features over 100 paintings, photographs, sculptures, and videos, as well as fashion and vinyl, by internationally renowned contemporary artists.

In parallel, the artist Melike Kara is developing a location-specific, extensive work for the Rotunda of the Schirn called shallow lakes (February 15–May 12, 2024). With an examination of her family roots as a point of departure, Kara’s installations raise questions about identity, migration, and visibility. Taking as a basis her archive of photographs from various private sources, which has been growing continuously since 2014, the artist studies the visual culture of the Kurdish diaspora.

With Feelings (March 21–June 9, 2024) the Schirn is presenting a unique scenario by Cosima von Bonin in which the artist contrasts recent works previously unseen in Germany with well-known pieces. For her expansive exhibitions, she draws on numerous references from popular culture, as well as from film, fashion, music, and art. Evoking exhausted cuddly toys, soft fences, rockets, or cartoon figures like Daffy Duck and Bambi—Bonin combines a variety of protagonists to form an ensemble, a community of social connections.

In the summer, the Schirn is dedicating the major solo exhibition Flowers of Life (June 20–September 15, 2024) to Selma Selman, presenting specially developed new works. The artist advanced confidently and vigorously into the international art world just a few years ago, describing herself as “the world’s most dangerous artist.” Selman’s art describes impressively, and through a variety of media, autobiographical experiences of discrimination, violence, patriarchy, and sexism.

Just a few years after Morocco gained independence in 1956, a vibrant center of cultural renewal developed in Casablanca. With Casablanca Art School: A Postcolonial Avant-Garde 1962–1987 (July 12–October 13, 2024) the Schirn is presenting the unique and influential work of this innovative school in a first major exhibition, one that is long overdue.

In the fall, the Schirn will be showing the first comprehensive survey exhibition in Germany of Carol Rama (October 11, 2024–January 19, 2025) with works from all phases of her remarkable oeuvre. Sexuality, passion, disease, death—the Turin-based Italian artist dedicated her art to the great themes of humanity and to elemental experiences. Rama is one of the outstanding artists of the modern age who achieved fame late in life. She remained independent of schools and artistic groupings and created an unconventional and yet highly personal body of work over the course of about sixty years.

Hans Haacke (November 8, 2024–February 9, 2025) has shaped “political art” to a greater extent than any other artist of his generation. Keen criticism of institutions, political awareness, and an uncompromising defense of democratic principles to the point of activism all characterize his approach. In a wide-ranging retrospective, the Schirn will be examining Haacke’s influential oeuvre from 1959 to the present day. With over 70 paintings, objects, photographs, and installations, the exhibition demonstrates how Haacke became one of the most important political artists on the international art stage.

In the event series DOUBLE FEATURE, national and international filmmakers have been introducing their own productions, followed by a film of their choice, for over ten years now. In the accompanying conversations, held on the last Wednesday of each month, the invited artists offer insights into their work and their interest in film. To date, the Schirn has presented filmic works by over 130 artists. The artists invited for 2024 include Melanie Jame Wolf, Rhea Storr, and Elisa Giardina Papa.

Director: Dr. Sebastian Baden
Press contact: Johanna Pulz (Head of Press/Public Relations), presse@schirn.de / T +49 (0) 69 29 98 82 148

Press materials: schirn.de/en/newsroom