Kunsthalle Mainz

Description

At the Zollhafen in Mainz, the Kunsthalle Mainz plays a central role in the presentation of contemporary art. The institution links the urban harbour space with museum use and directs its programme to an international audience.

The Kunsthalle is housed in the historic boiler and engine house dating from 1887, an elongated brick building on the Zollhafen. Following a conversion commissioned by the Mainzer Stadtwerke in 2006, the building opened its doors as an exhibition venue in the repurposed power station on 1 March 2008.

The renovation involved a complete change of use of the single-storey structure and the closure of a narrow gap by a 21-metre-high tower, which was inserted at a seven-degree tilt and acts as a distinctive urban landmark. The former locomotive shed was converted into a café. In total, 840 m² of exhibition space are available: three adjoining, spacious halls in the original building and three stacked, cabinet-like rooms in the tower.

Programmatically, the Kunsthalle focuses on rotating exhibitions of contemporary art, both monographic and thematic, complemented by interdisciplinary accompanying formats. Educational programmes for adults, children and young people, as well as discussions, artist talks and lecture series, are part of the regular offerings. Since September 2012 there has been a screening room for film and video presentations; works by Joan Jonas, Pipilotti Rist, Matthew Barney, Martha Rosler, Maria Lassnig, John Bock and Francis Alÿs, among others, have been shown there.

The institution is sponsored by the Stiftung Kunsthalle Mainz, founded by the Mainzer Stadtwerke with the non-profit objective of promoting and presenting contemporary art. The foundation is governed by a board and a curatorium; the board manages day-to-day business and comprises representatives of the Mainzer Stadtwerke as well as the City of Mainz and the state of Rhineland-Palatinate, while the curatorium assumes oversight.