Kunstverein Langenhagen

Past

Collage with Material by Ava Binta Giallo & Markus Zimmermann

Opening "Ein Ort mit vielen Orten" - Ava Binta Giallo and Markus Zimmermann. Photo: Andre Germar.

We cordially invite all members to the annual general meeting of the Kunstverein Langenhagen on Thursday, November 7, 2024 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the rooms of the Kunstverein.

During the meeting, we will look back on the finances, the minutes of the previous year and the exhibitions and projects of the past year. There will also be an outlook on the plans for the coming year. And last but not least, the board will be re-elected and new advisory board members elected.

Afterwards, we look forward to inviting you to the members' bar evening!

Dear friends and members of the Kunstverein Langenhagen,

out of the desire to be more in contact with the members of the Kunstverein, we cordially invite you to the first members' bar evening. In a pleasant atmosphere, we would like to get into conversation with you after the members' meeting, to hear how you are getting on with the Kunstverein and, last but not least, sample a glass or two of wine.

We look forward to your visit, meeting you again or getting to know you and exchanging ideas!

We are opening the second setting of the exhibition “A place with many places” with a handover talk between Lotte Lindner & Till Steinbrenner, Noor Mertens, Anike Joyce Sadiq, Kathy-Ann Tan as well as Ava Binta Giallo and Markus Zimmermann on 3.12.24 also from 7 pm. All those involved have contributed to varying degrees to the changes in the location and the architecture, helping to transform the space in the past, present and future.

"Ein Ort mit vielen Orten". Kunstverein Langenhagen. Photo: Andre Germar

Unfortunately the reading session has to be canceled!

with Lizza May David, Fumiko Kikuchi, Thaís Omine, Kyong Ju Park, curated by Kathy-Ann Tan

"Stories we imagine, stories that connect us" with Lizza May David, Fumiko Kikuchi, Thaís Omine, Park Kyong Ju, curated by Kathy-Ann Tan. Kunstverein Langenhagen 2025. photos: Andre Germar.

Maya Angelou said, “There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.” The group exhibition “Stories we imagine, stories that connect us” invites us to reflect together on how stories of care and community are created, re-told and passed on amidst the ongoing realities of political conflict, social violence and polarization. How does the history of marginalization and “otherness” affect the ways in which we perceive ourselves (or not) as part of the society in which we live? How can we uncover the layers of oral and visual narratives and texts to convey stories that would otherwise be 'lost' to future generations? How can we make visible the embodied knowledge that we can share and pass on to future generations? How can we make structures of oppression and discrimination visible, not to re-center them, but to hold them accountable and embark on a path of individual and collective healing? The four artists use various multimedia works to address these questions, opening up a space for discussion, reflection and exchange.

Park Kyong Ju, 26 Day Archeology Revised Edition, Single Channel Video, 2024

Exhibition view, Fumiko Kikuchi “Me I See In You” in the exhibition “Stories that We Imagine, Stories that Connect Us”, Kunstverein Langenhagen, 2025, photo: Foto: Andre Germar

This event is part of the exhibition ‘Stories we imagine, stories that connect us’ with Lizza May David, Fumiko Kikuchi, Thaís Omine, Park Kyong Ju, curated by Kathy-Ann Tan.

Detailed information will follow shortly.

In this online reading session, we will be reading a chapter from Cathy Park Hong's Minor Feelings: A Reckoning on Race and the Asian Condition, titled "The End of White Innocence". We will discuss what it means, in Hong's words, to "look sideways", instead of "looking back" in nostalgia, at childhood. We will also address why (visual, oral, etc.) narratives or stories we tell about ourselves are important, not only in relation to the national imaginary, but also in terms of how future generations are impacted with regard to notions of identity and belonging. As Cathy Park Hong's chapter is written in a less theoretical or scholarly way and references many personal anecdotes, participants will also be encouraged, in similar fashion, to share their personal stories and lived experiences.

Alongside Hong’s work, we will bring in short excerpts from Subaltern Studies 2.0 by Milinda Banerjee and Jelle JP Wouters to discuss how knowledge and identity can be co-opted by neoliberalism and the "society of the spectacle," turning personal and collective histories into commodities while silencing alternative ways of knowing.

This reading session is a space for conversation, storytelling, and collective reflection. Bring your thoughts, your experiences, and your curiosity. Let’s learn from each other!

Participation in the reading group is capped at 20 participants. Please register by sending an email to mail@kunstverein-langenhagen.de to receive the Zoom link and the .pdfs we will read. The reading session is facilitated by Thaís Omine and Kathy-Ann Tan, and will take place in English.

This event is part of the exhibition ‘Stories we imagine, stories that connect us’ with Lizza May David, Fumiko Kikuchi, Thaís Omine, Park Kyong Ju, curated by Kathy-Ann Tan.

Park Kyong Ju disseminates information regarding the socio-cultural context of the works exhibited at the exhibition. In the lecture performance, the artist Park delivers a lecture on 'Asian immigrant women_especially international marriage related to human trafficking', a key issue in the tragedy of Tran Thanh Lan's death. Park will also read excerpts from the aforementioned diary to the audience.

Tran Thanh Lan's wedding photo ©2007 Huan Kim Anh (Tran Thanh Lan’s mother)

Park Kyong Ju has devoted over 17 years to studying the diary of Tran Thanh Lan, a Vietnamese migrant woman who died after moving to Korea through an illegal international marriage involving human trafficking. It is estimated that 24 cases of migrant women who have tragically died in Korea have been reported in the media between 2007 and 2023. Tran Thanh Lan is the only one among them who kept a diary. Park's works symbolically demonstrate how the institution of marriage, which should be founded on love, is commodified under the domination of capital.

This event is part of the exhibition ‘Stories we imagine, stories that connect us’ with Lizza May David, Fumiko Kikuchi, Thaís Omine, Park Kyong Ju, curated by Kathy-Ann Tan.

Embodying Tradition and Innovation in Ryukyu Dance with Riko Sugama

Since stepping into the world of Ryukyu traditional dance in 1992 and later embracing the art of Uta-Sanshin in 2005, Riko Sugama has devoted her life to mastering and showcasing the unique cultural heritage of the Ryukyu Islands. Based in Berlin, Sugama brings a blend of traditional and contemporary styles to her performances, illustrating the rich tapestry of Ryukyu history and its cross-cultural beyond.

Her performances are not merely dances but are powerful expressions of the Ryukyu spirit, crafted to foster understanding and peaceful interaction among diverse cultures.
Join us on June 1st in Langenhagen as Riko Sugama performs a mesmerizing repertoire that promises to captivate, bridging the past and the future of Ryukyu's vibrant performing arts.

This event is part of the exhibition ‘Stories we imagine, stories that connect us’ with Lizza May David, Fumiko Kikuchi, Thaís Omine, Park Kyong Ju, curated by Kathy-Ann Tan.

Future

A place with many places - with Ava Binta Giallo and Markus Zimmermann in Cooperation with Eden Szir

First Opening: Ava Binta Giallo and Markus Zimmermann in Cooperation with Eden Szir

Annual general meeting of the Kunstverein Langenhagen

member's bar

Book Presentation and Talk with Dr. Rena Onat on Queer Artists of Colour in Germany

Second opening and handover talk

Guided Tour

Reading Session with Ava Binta Giallo (canceled)

Cooking and talking with Kathy-Ann Tan

Stories that We Imagine, Stories that Connect Us

Opening

Tour and discussion with "Gemeinsam leben in Langenhagen e.V."

Reading Session (online)

Lan's Diary: a Lecture Performance with Park Kyong Ju

Finissage & Closing Performance with Riko Sugama