The web platform documenta studies brings together a direct engagement with documenta’s history and present as well as reflections on wider relevant curatorial practices, formats, and institutions. While it accompanies the development of the documenta Institute in Kassel, it is not charged with representing it; rather, it aims to create a public space for critical documenta- and exhibition studies. The goal is to establish a transnational and transdisciplinary discourse in parallel with the physical construction of the documenta Institute as an institution.
In order to recognize the equal value of contributions made by various artistic, curatorial, educational, and academic forms of knowledge production to documenta- and exhibition research, documenta studies comprises the five sections Discourse, Texts, Art, Education and Projects. documenta gGmbH and documenta archiv are important cooperative partners.
documenta studies is an initiative of documenta professor Nora Sternfeld, developed in collaboration with her team: research associate Nanne Buurman, artistic researcher Ina Wudtke, and Carina Herring, coordinator of the documenta Institute. Together, they are responsible for the conception and editing of the documenta studies web platform.