When does the exhibition start?

The exhibition starts on October 1, 2026, at 12 p.m. at the Mannheim Art Association.

Where does ZUsammenKUNFT DER SPEZIES take place?

The exhibition takes place at the Mannheim Art Association e.V. at Augustaanlage 58, 68165 Mannheim.

What kind of art does Hartmut Kiewert show?

Mainly contemporary figurative painting, complemented by drawing and printmaking. The focus is on the societal relationship between humans and other animals.

Are there guided tours of the exhibition?

The Mannheim Art Association mentions bookable guided tours. A specific time for this exhibition is not provided in the available event information.

How long does a visit to the exhibition last?

No binding time indication for the duration of the visit has been published. For a calm contemplation of the works, ample time is recommended.

Is the exhibition suitable for art enthusiasts without prior knowledge?

Yes. The accessible figurative visual language offers direct access while art historical and animal ethical references invite deeper reflection.

Hartmut Kiewert's exhibition envisions a touching future of shared life

Name: Hartmut Kiewert – ZUsammenKUNFT DER SPEZIES
Start: 2026-10-01T12:00:00+02:00
End: 2026-10-01T12:00:00+02:00
Location: Mannheimer Kunstverein e.V.

Hartmut Kiewert's ZUsammenKUNFT DER SPEZIES: A Painting of Connectedness

The Mannheim Art Association presents an exhibition of the Leipzig artist Hartmut Kiewert with ZUsammenKUNFT DER SPEZIES. His figurative painting focuses on the societal relationship between humans and animals, creating visual worlds where pigs, cows, chickens, and humans meet on equal terms.

Counter-images to the anthropocentric order

Kiewert's art uses a familiar visual language and fundamentally shifts its perspective. Animals do not appear as livestock, decoration, or anonymous masses, but as sentient individuals and acting subjects. Scenes of a possible shared future emerge in parks, streets, interiors, and urban landscapes.

The exhibition connects contemporary painting with social reflection. Familiar motifs from everyday life meet a utopian pictorial logic that raises questions of responsibility, care, and cultural habits. The aesthetic experience opens a space for empathy and critical engagement with the works.

Figurative painting between utopia and criticism of the present

Hartmut Kiewert studied painting and graphics at the Burg Giebichenstein University of Art and Design Halle, graduating with distinction in 2010. Since 2008, he has been intensely engaged with the relationship between humans and other animals. In addition to painting, his work includes drawings and printmaking.

Kiewert's visual worlds stand in a contemporary tradition of committed figurative art. They reference the visual order of the animal industry but turn it against its mechanisms of suppression. Instead of slaughterhouses and factory farms, the artist shows spaces of coexistence. This curatorial perspective makes the exhibition a contribution to cultural education and the current debate on animal ethics.

Color, spatial effect, and aesthetic experience

The painting unfolds its impact through clear forms, narrative picture spaces, and the conscious juxtaposition of human and animal bodies. Colors, landscapes, and architectural elements create a tension between familiarity and irritation. What seems obvious comes into motion: Who observes whom, and who owns the depicted space?

The artistic experience arises from this open perception. Kiewert's scenarios invite viewers to attentively follow details, gaze relationships, and gestures of the figures. The exhibition atmosphere combines sensory presence with intellectual challenge, making the contemplation of the works an engagement with one's own viewing habits.

An artist with a continuous exhibition practice

Kiewert's works have been exhibited at the Citadel Berlin, the Cube Art Hall Duisburg, at the Ostrale Biennial in Dresden, as well as in exhibitions like Hello Nature. How Do We Want to Live Together? at the German National Museum. His artistic position has also been supported by a scholarship from the German National Academic Foundation and a studio scholarship from Pilotenkueche Leipzig.

ZUsammenKUNFT DER SPEZIES is connected to Kiewert's work groups Animal Utopia and Multispecies Futures. The exhibition continues this exploration and asks how a fairer relationship between humans and other animals can be imaginatively represented.

Conclusion: A compelling art experience in Mannheim

Visitors can expect an exhibition that connects figurative painting, animal ethics, and societal issues. Hartmut Kiewert's images are accessible yet uncomfortable: they touch with their colorful presence and challenge with their consistent perspective. Anyone wishing to experience art as an aesthetic experience, a space for thought, and cultural education should visit this exhibition at the Mannheim Art Association attentively and unhurriedly.