How is it possible in a technological urban world full of stimulation to maintain a connection with other species that share our direct environment? Building on the (re)connecting.earth (02) Biennial from Geneva, the edition “Beyond Water” evolved into a nomadic version in Kiel, featuring the works of 31 artists in two museums and in public space.

This edition highlights the diversity of urban ecosystems and the richness of contemporary art production with an environmental focus. It explores the artistic potential of using scientific knowledge to draw attention to, imagine, listen to, and visualize living forms. Thanks to the works of the chosen artists and local initiatives, the Kiel Fjord and parks will become a landscape of creativity, reflection, and participation.

At 20 stations along a circular “reconnection trail,” a route connecting the Stadtgalerie Kiel and the Zoological Museum Kiel, the exhibition reflects the richness of artistic production in relation to ecology. This journey continues in both museums, where more than 100 artworks will be on display until November 24, 2024. The Stadtgalerie Kiel serves as the central location of the project, displaying existing and new works from 21 international artists such as Raul Walch, Zheng Bo, and Som Supaparinya, while the Zoological Museum is a ground for exchange between art and science, where the works of Andreas Greiner and Mark Dion come into playful interaction with the collection.

Participating artists

Carolina Bachmann, Flurina Badel & Jérémie Sarbach, Juan Blanco, Seba Calfuqueo, Luis Camnitzer, Luis & Gabo Camnitzer, Julian Charrière, Eli Cortiñas, Mark Dion, Valérie Favre, Anne-Laure Franchette & Manon Briod, Andreas Greiner, Andreas Greiner & Takafumi Tsukamoto, Marie Griesmar, Monica Ursina Jäger, Alexandre Joly, Kennedy+Swan, Fabian Knecht, Diana Lelonek, Diana Lelonek & Denim Szram, Antje Majewski, Adrien Missika, Lucie Morat, N55 - Ion Sorvin & Till Wolfer, Maxence Neveu, Uriel Orlow, Carmen Perrin, Som Supaparinya, Raul Walch, Pinar Yoldas, Zheng Bo

What does the exhibition consist of?

Reconnection Trail and Art in Public Space

The Reconnection Trail presents a selection of works and new creations by artists, combined with information and riddles about biodiversity. This trail allows you to link the two museums while completing a reconnection certificate that will give you free access to the museum and the opportunity to take home a poster of one artist's instructions. Among the works on display, the creations of Diana Lelonek, Juan Blanco, and Marie Griesmar have been specifically conceived for this site. For instance, Marie Griesmar will install ceramics depicting endemic species in the Baltic Sea, reflecting potential transformations in the ecosystem due to climate change. At one of the satellite locations of the nomadic Biennial, visitors will be invited to dive or snorkel (snorkeling classes will also be offered by the association Snorkeling City) to observe these pieces and draw them using special paper. The drawings made on-site, shortly before the official beginning of the exhibition, will be displayed at Stadtgalerie during the exhibition, alongside last year’s ceramics that Griesmar installed in Lake Geneva.

Stadtgalerie Kiel - A Museum of Art and Discussion Forum

The exhibition at the Stadtgalerie Kiel extends into the foyer, spanning over 1500 m², and showcases the work of artists who have previously participated in (re)connecting.earth and other significant art and ecology exhibitions. The space is transformed with video projections, sculptures, plants, and sound installations, immersing the viewer in an experience that bridges the terrestrial and aquatic realms. The foyer serves as a hub for connecting with biodiversity and water, as well as fostering relationships among those dedicated to environmental causes and artistic practices focused on ecological issues.

Kiel Museum of Zoology - Where Artworks Interact with the Collection

In the stunning setting of this luminous museum, designed by Martin Gropius, Mark Dion and Andreas Greiner have been invited to showcase their works. Their drawings, prints, and sculptures engage in a dialogue with the existing collection, often blending humor with moments of tragedy. This interaction challenges contemporary perspectives on ‘nature’ and reexamines our common understanding of it.

A Programme of Workshops, Exhibitions, and Collateral Events

Begun more than a year ago, the aim of this programme is to bring together people working in and interested in the fields of art and the environment. Activities proposed by the exhibition's various partners, as well as by art initiatives and associations in Schleswig-Holstein, highlight the local scene and some of the environmental activities on offer in the region.

A Nomadic Biennial?

For the third time, the Geneva Biennial (re)connecting.earth is going nomadic to enable other audiences to discover works of art and modes of exchange that open their eyes to the biodiversity and poetry offered by our ecosystems, as well as the relationships we can forge with them. With the aim of reconnecting people with the earth and discovering urban nature from a new angle through art, the nomadic editions are intended to be a great celebration of biodiversity, a meeting place for local players, and a link between the different towns hosting this initiative.

The kiel (re)connecting.earth project is subsidised and suported by the Art Advisory Board and funds for art in public spaces of the state capital Kiel, the "Bingo! project funding" and the Ministry for Education, Science, Research and Culture of Schleswig-Holstein.