High as a Kite. Luftschlösser in Kunst und Wirklichkeit

The “castle in the air” is a phenomenon that lies somewhere between innovation and genius on the one hand, and wishful thinking, good intentions, megalomania, and failure on the other. According to popular belief, the architects of such castles have quite literally lost touch with reality: their projects are too large, too costly, technically unfeasible, or simply unheard of. Yet real construction projects, too, can develop into (temporary) pipe dreams when their realization entails escalating costs and timelines. Evidence of this can be found in construction sites transformed into biotopes or in unfinished investment ruins that, often reduced to skeletal structures, have turned from castles in the air into haunted houses.
Nevertheless, such visions and their visionaries should not be dismissed lightly. Their plans, dreams, fantasies, and cloud-cuckoo-lands hold tremendous potential, and it is often precisely the attempt to bring the seemingly impossible into being that gives rise to something new. It is therefore high time to dedicate a multifaceted exhibition to castles in the air and their architects, approaching the topic from perspectives rooted in cultural studies, art, and playfulness. High as a Kite – Luftschlösser in Kunst und Wirklichkeit brings together artistic works that have overcome gravity: heavenly and airy architectures, artistic commentaries on gigantic construction projects, and fictitious projects driven by actionist impulses.

With
Limbo Accra | Nándor Angstenberger | Markus Dorfmüller | Clemens Gritl | Christian Jankowski | Gordon Matta-Clark | Reiner Maria Matysik | Andrea Pichl | Thomas Ravens | Ursula Sax | Nomeda & Gediminas Urbonas

Curator
Petra Stegmann