Research Night: Re-wriggling the Museum

During this Research Night, Oliver Klimpel will join us to discuss how the Bauhaus Dessau Foundation incorporates environmental issues and social sustainability into its public programmes and daily running.

Since its beginnings as an art school (1919-1933), the Bauhaus movement has been radically innovative. Traditional craftsmanship has given way to an experimental, integrated approach to art, technology and science. How can we preserve and reshape this heritage, while protecting natural and cultural resources and maintaining a critical eye on the ways in which exhibitions are created and collections are built?

Oliver Klimpel heads the Curatorische Werkstatt (Curatorial Workshop) at the Bauhaus Dessau Foundation. He will discuss the foundation’s current ambitions and ongoing projects. These include researching the iconic Bauhaus buildings in Dessau, using living materials in exhibitions and designs, and critically examining the materials used in modernism – a central theme of the Bauhaus anniversary years 2025/26.

This programme aligns with the expert meeting Regenerative Curating Part 1.

• 19:30 Introduction to Research Nights
• 19:40 Introduction to the Museums and Collections programme at Leiden University
• 19:50 Presentation by Oliver Klimpel
• 20:10 Oliver Klimpel in conversation with Caitlin DeSilvey
• 20:30 Q&A

Both the Expert Meeting and Research Night are financially supported by the Stimuleringsfonds and the Museums, Collections & Society research programme at Leiden University, which promotes collaboration between academia and the museum sector.

The Bauhaus Dessau Foundation takes an artistic and scientific approach to preserving and developing Bauhaus heritage. It combines historical research with explorations of the relevance of the Bauhaus in the 21st century. It manages the Bauhaus building, the Masters’ Houses and the Dessau-Törten housing estate – all of which have been designated UNESCO World Heritage sites since 1996. The foundation boasts the second-largest Bauhaus collection in the world, comprising around 50,000 objects.

Combine this event with a visit to our exhibitions — admission to the museum is free on Thursday evenings. Fancy a bite to eat? Join us in the Nieuwe Café!

Host or Publisher Nieuwe Instituut