visit the documenta XII in 2007

The day fter my sister’s wedding, I chauffeured us first to my parent’s house for the night and the next morning to Kassel.
We visited the Fridericianum, the Wilhelmshoehe castle and attempted to climb the whole Hercules mount, but managed only 2 fifths when I flagged because my feet were hurting too much.Later back in town, we also went to see the dokumentahalle before finishing off our Germany trip in a steak house and going to sleep in the hotel at 10pm.

Yes! It will finally happen in about 2 weeks! Rio > Kassel > Rio, here I go!

My sister’s wedding is in Hamburg. Kassel is only a three hour drive away, with my hometown Gifhorn kinda halfway in the middle…
The wedding is on Saturday the 15th of September. The documenta lasts until the 23rd.
We could leave Sunday after lunch or coffee, depending how long the wedding party is staying in the hotel and drive towards my hometown. We could spend the night there and drive on the next morning, which would give us the opportunity to save on hotel costs for Sunday night. Disadvantage is the drive towards Kassel on Monday morning. I’d want to leave at 8. We’d get to Kassel between 10 and 11, could spend 7 hours exploring the place and make camp/check into a hotel for the night. On Tuesday, we’d be traveling back to Amsterdam. Sounds perfect.

It was very interesting, confusing, strenuously. There were so many people from different countries, very multicultural. Great! My favourite is the room with the red light. At the beginning it is strange to stand in a room with red light but then the eyes acclimate and everything turns slowly from red to orange and in the end it looks very yellow. Interesting experience! I underestimated the exhibition I thought it wouldn’t takes so much time like it really took. There was so much to see. I advice you it takes time to see everything don’t do it if you are pressed for time AND wear good footgear AND don’t forget the umbrella :) I think about if I will visit the documenta 12 again but this time I want to take a guided tour. Now I am tired, my feet hurt all the same I am very happy.

Juhu it started last weekend. And I will go there soon! I think in 2 weeks. Yesterday I watched a telecast about it. I am so excited.

Als weltweit größte Ausstellung zeitgenössischer Kunst verwandelt die documenta die Stadt Kassel alle fünf Jahre in ein Mekka für Künstler und Galeristen. In diesem Jahr (2007) wird erstmals auch der Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe als Ausstellungsgelände einbezogen, was auch einer Grundidee Arnold Bodes (Der Gründer der documenta plante eine Skulpturenausstellung im Bergpark unter dem Namen “Oktogon Projekt”, welche aber zu seiner Zeit nicht realisiert werden konnte) entspricht. Wer Kassel besucht, sollte auf jeden Fall nicht nur die Innenstadt besuchen, sondern auch den Herkules, die weitläufige Karlsaue und die vielen sonstigen Museen Kassels, auch ein Abstecher zum Rokoko-Schloss Wilhelmstal lohnt sich. Relaxen kann man wunderbar in der Kurhessentherme .
Gute Hotels in Kassel kann man hier online buchen

This is a goal which I can really achieve. I go to school in Kassel (I don’t live but learn there). This is a nice way to: change my mind, be thoughtful, have a different view on life, take it easy. Some impressions will be strange but also fantastic. I think the feelings will change everytime like the first time I was there. But this is one of the reason I love art.

documenta is regarded as the most important exhibition of contemporary art, drawing attention from all over the world. It was initiated in 1955 by the artist and art educator, Arnold Bode, in Kassel. After the period of Nazi dictatorship, it was supposed to reconcile German public life with international modernity and also confront it with its own failed Enlightenment.

In 1992, my art class went on a trip to the documenta 9, which was absolutly great! We actually sat on the top of the “signal tower of hope”, “Signalturm der Hoffnung”, by Mo Edoga. The artist built the thing much higher than one can see on this picture, and he encouraged us to climb it. The view from up there was amazing. Maybe not the true intention of the artist, but certainly art that could be experienced, rather than only looked at.