The Foundation

The Foundation Situation Kunst was founded on 25 April, 2005. During the foundation’s inaugural year, an annex to the existing buildings of Situation Kunst was completed. Since 6 September, 2006, it has been open to the public as part of the art collections at the Ruhr University in Bochum. The presentation was created, conceived and realized as a permanent exhibition by Alexander and Silke von Berswordt-Wallrabe, via support and donations from their private collection of artists such as François Morellet and Lee Ufan and the Archivio Gianni Colombo. The extension work was made possible by numerous endowments and donations from individuals and companies from home and abroad, and was achieved without the use of public funds. On the initiative of the Foundation Situation Kunst another project has been recently realized: The Kubus. This multifunctional, cubic building designed by the architects Pfeiffer, Ellermann, Preckel from Münster, rises out of the ruins of the Weitmar House. The Kubus, which will be opened spring 2010, in conjunction with the European Capital of Culture RUHR.2010, was made possible with funds from the EU, the Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia, the city of Bochum and the Foundation Situation Kunst which is kindly supported by Alfried Krupp von Bohlen and the Halbach Foundation. In May 2010 the audio-visual installation “Overground” by Marcellvs L. was opened as an enrichment of the already existing ensembles of Situation Kunst. The installation was subsidized by the Ministerium für Wirtschaft, Mittelstand und Energie des Landes NRW.

Aims and Activitíes

The Foundation Situation Kunst strives to promote intercultural understanding through original works of art by offering events both for the general public and for international experts. The foundation works in close cooperation and coordination with the Ruhr-University Bochum, in addition to other scientific institutes and museums. It is particularly important for Situation Kunst to create a place of dialogue with and about art - a place beyond the established institutional boundaries, where new ways of understanding art can be tested and developed. A special synthesis exists because, on one hand Situation Kunst is part of the art collection at the Ruhr University for focused scientific discussion, and on the other hand it is also open to the public allowing for general access to important artwork. Foundation Situation Kunst provides an extensive exhibition and event program, which is organized by the full-time curator in consultation with the Foundation Board and in cooperation with Ruhr University, Bochum. The foundation's work is classified as charitable, for its promotion of scientific purposes and for promoting education, adult education, vocational and student aid, as well as the promotion of art and the international attitude and tolerance in all areas of culture.