The Spirits I Summoned... is aimed at students at the Kunsthochschule Mainz, specifically those in the photography class. The project sees itself as an artistic and experimental exploration of Sigmar Polke’s Athanor series of works—in particular his photographic practice and the accompanying publication. The focus is on conscious reflection and dreaming about spaces—their history, characteristics, and possible future.
The Spirits I Summoned…
The Spirits I Summoned…
How can we artistically connect with spaces and make them experienceable? An essential component is a practice-oriented workshop in which Polke’s strategies and working methods will first be analyzed in a group, then developed further, both individually and collectively. The starting point is the publication Athanor. Il Padiglione, in which Polke’s reflections on his then forthcoming exhibition can be experienced visually. Inspired by this, the students develop their own visual research in a specific space at the Kunsthochschule Mainz with the help of advanced photographic techniques. In addition, Georges Perec’s Species of Spaces (1974) serves as a theoretical reference point and source of inspiration: “At the beginning, however, there is not much: almost nothing, nothing tangible ... the environment, the space around us.”
The shared thinking and design process culminates in a collective imaginary exhibition that develops a common visual language despite its polyphony. The project will be documented in an analogue and digital zine—an artistic format and medium that bridges process and result. We will also display the participants’ newly created works, which will reflect their individual artistic approaches while demonstrating the use of the medium of photography as a space for thought and an instrument of knowledge.
The project will be presented at the Kunsthochschule Mainz Rundgang in July 2026.
The Spirits I Summoned…
Seminar, led by Berit Schneidereit, January–July 2026, Kunsthochschule Mainz