[artinfo] The Europaische Kunsthalle Koln is looking for a Foundation Director

[e-Flux]

Europaische Kunsthalle Koln
(European Art Hall Cologne)
Is looking for a Foundation Director

deadline: November 15, 2004


Postal address:
Das Loch e.V. c/o Neumann+Luz,
Roonstrasse 108, D-50674 Koln, Germany

e-mail: info at das-loch.net
http://www.das-loch.net


For more than twenty years the Cologne Art Hall (Kunsthalle Koln) wasn't 
active anymore as an original institution of contemporary art - doubtlessly 
a reason for the decay of the formerly so important art-metropolis. In 
2002, with the demolition of the Josef Haubrich-Forum, including the 
building of the former Kunsthalle Koln, a final spot was set on the 
cultural ambitions of the city administration.

But now, at last, Cologne is about to get back an Art Hall. The Registered 
Association "Das Loch e.V." ("The Hole"), originally founded after the 
abridgment of the old Art Hall as a discerning instance of art producers 
(on the board: Rosemarie Trockel, Udo Kier, Kasper Konig, Marcel Odenbach) 
grasps the nettle of advertising the position of the Foundation Director 
for the Europaische Kunsthalle Koln (European Art Hall Cologne).

This association sees the Europaische Kusthalle Koln-project as a model 
experiment for the (self-) constitution of an institute of contemporary 
art.There is neither a civic mandate nor a concrete building. Thus it will 
all be about developing experimental forms of an Art Institution that shall 
find and forge its place and structures within the fabric of the city. It's 
name, Europaische Kunsthalle Koln / European Art Hall Cologne, is 
programmatic and refers to the widened cultural context wherein the Art 
Hall shall constitute itself.

In order to find the Foundation Director and to attend the model 
experiment, the Registered Association has appointed a Foundation Council, 
consisting of Ulrike Groos (Kunsthalle Dusseldorf), Lioba Reddeker (basis 
wien), Kathrin Rhomberg (Kolnischer Kunstverein), Hans Ulrich Obrist (Musee 
d' Art Moderne, Paris), Jose Lebrero Stals (CAAC, Sevilla), Yilmaz Dziewior 
(Kunstverein Hamburg), Daniel Birnbaum (Stadelschule and Portikus 
Frankfurt) as well as two board members of the Loch assiciation.

The project's funding will be guaranteed by the capital of the Association 
and a capacious benefit performance auction on October 2nd, 2004. The 
Association's exposure is, for the time being, limited to one year. The 
acquisition of further funds in order to ensure the continuation of the 
project will be already the concern of the Foundation Director.

The Foundation Director shall...

_ascertain modern and lasting forms of self-constitution and foundation of 
an "European Art Hall Cologne", both place and project of contemporary art, 
realize it as action model in the cooperative discourse with the Foundation 
Council and the Association, and establish the Art Hall within the cultural 
tissue of the city.

_be knowledgable, ingenious and able to catch up with the shaping of 
structural, economic and political alliances on local, Euopean and 
international levels, realign the benchmarks of project planning to the 
mutated general social and economical framework and know how to challenge 
them in a pertinent way.

_be able to conduct, explore and enhance the conditions and methods of 
curating and showing contemporary art within the reflexion of its history 
and positions.

_link the Art Hall with other cultural fields according to requirements and 
make sure it is beneficial and appealing for the local production/living 
conditions of artists.

_develop and design experimental forms of working in divergent publicities 
and media for the encounter with contemporary art and its questions.

_participate in the discourses on the transformation of public space and 
urban life, social bonds and political action as part of the prerequisites, 
practices and projects ot the European Art Hall Cologne.

_know about the cultural conditions and possibilities of other urban 
situations in Europe and apply them in a copious way for the self-contained 
development of the European Art Hall Cologne.

Procedure:

Applications for employment and recommendations for candidates are to be 
sent to the Registered Association Das Loch until November 15, 2004 
(showing the day's postmark). There are no confinements in form and 
content. As intensive work on location is expected, good knowledge of the 
German language is definitely of advantage.

Next to a CV and references we ask for a short personal statement (max. 1 
page DIN A 4) concerning the project European Art Hall Cologne. It is 
compulsive to send the applications as e-mail (attachments in pdf or 
word.doc) as well as by sending it by post.

e-mail: info at das-loch.net
Postal address: Das Loch e.V. c/o Neumann+Luz, Roonstrasse 108, D-50674 
Koln, Germany

The applications will be kept in confidence. The Foundation Council will 
narrow down the choice and invite the candidates to Cologne for interviews. 
The selection process will be concluded by the end of November 2004 and the 
Foundation Director of the European Art Hall Cologne will be appointed.

For informations about the history of the project and the Registered 
Association please go to http://www.das-loch.net