ZERO foundation

News

ZERO and Fashion. Lecture by Prof. Dr. Barbara Vinken
02. October 2023, ZERO House Düsseldorf

Foto und Credits: Jürgen Bauer

“Art and fashion? A forced marriage, marriage of convenience, love marriage? Are the two in cahoots? Art and fashion share a conceptual interest. They are about the same thing: making conventions conscious, which, once exhibited, become playful, funny, crazy and displaced. Both ironize, throw over, question. Both create artful spaces through iridescent lighting effects, plays of light and shadow, both give the moment an ever-surprising form.”

Guest lecture on October 2, 2023, 6 p.m.

at ZERO House, Hüttenstrasse 104, 2015 Düsseldorf, Germany.

Unconventional, challenging, and with verve, Barbara Vinken, Professor of General Literary Studies and Romance Philology at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität in Munich , writes about the subject of fashion. Time and again, she examines the role of fashion in our modern society and comes up with surprising results. For the ZERO foundation, the renowned literary expert (3 Sat “Buchzeit”) analyzes the so far completely unexplored topic of “ZERO and fashion” following the exhibition “Ein Kleid, monochrom”.

The essay accompanying Barbara Vinken’s lecture will be published in 2024 in the series “Hatje Cantz Text” by Hatje Cantz Verlag, Berlin.

Admission is free! A registration is requested: info@zerofoundation.de

We would also like to point out that photos and films will be taken at this event.
If you do not wish to be photographed or do not agree with the publication of the photos taken, please give one of our staff members a hint

We thank our sponsor:

About us

History

ZERO was a new beginning: a conscious break with convention. Taking ZERO as a starting point, Heinz Mack, Otto Piene and Günther Uecker began challenging traditional art in the late 1950s. In the span of just a decade, what began in Dusseldorf, Germany soon evolved into one of the most significant avant-garde movements of the 20^th century; a movement which – together with groups created at the same time and other fellow artists in Italy, France, Belgium and the Netherlands – continues to influence art to this day.
In 2008, approximately 50 years later, Heinz Mack, Otto Piene and Günther Uecker – in cooperation with the Museum Kunstpalast foundation and on the initiative of Mattijs Visser – founded the ZERO foundation as a non-profit foundation under civil law in Dusseldorf.
The artists contributed works of art and archive materials such as photographs, correspondence, invitation cards, drafts, posters and exhibition reviews to the foundation.

Task

As an academic research centre with connections around the world, the ZERO foundation is concerned with the preservation, history, presentation and contextualisation of ZERO art and the ZERO movement.
To date, exhibitions have been carried out in the Hyogo Prefectural Museum of Art in Kobe, Japan; the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York, USA; the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam, Netherlands; and the Pohang Museum of Steel Art in Pohang, Republic of Korea, among others.
The ZERO foundation publishes the results of its research in its own publications.
Since 2018, the ZERO foundation has organised presentations, film screenings and exhibitions in the ZERO house in Dusseldorf.
The academic archives are constantly being expanded and can be viewed here.

People

FOUNDING MEMBERS

Heinz Mack
Otto Piene
Günther Uecker

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Stephan Keller (Chairman)
Miriam Koch (Vice Chairwoman)
Alexander Fils
Elizabeth Goldring Piene
Andreas Kleffel
Miriam Koch
Anneliese Lenz
Heinz Mack
Eva Mörger
Ulf Montanus
Manfred Neuenhaus
Robert Rademacher
Markus Raub
Dorothee Schneider
Hubertus Schoeller
Günther Uecker

EXECUTIVE BOARD

Friderike Bagel (Chairwoman)
Claus Gielisch
Felix Krämer
Harry Schmitz
Jürgen Wilhelm

MANAGING DIRECTOR

Barbara Könches
barbara.koenches@zerofoundation.de
Tel.: +49 (0)211 59 80 59 78

TEAM

Romina Dümler
Curator
romina.duemler@zerofoundation.de
+49 (0)0211 59 87 46 91

Leonard Merkes
Administration & Public Relations
leonard.merkes@zerofoundation.de
+49(0) 0211 59 80 59 77

Anna-Lena Weise
Project Manager
anna-lena.weise@zerofoundation.de
+49(0)0211 87 58 81 10

Rebecca Welkens
Archives
rebecca.welkens@zerofoundation.de
+49 (0)211 59 80 71 33

Zero House

Visiting the ZERO house

We gladly offer tours of the ZERO house. On our tour, you will get to know the workspaces of ZERO artists Heinz Mack, Otto Piene and Günther Uecker, get a glimpse into our archives, and experience Otto Piene’s original fire studio. The tour lasts approx. 45-60 minutes and is only available by prior arrangement. A maximum of 25 people for a guided tour should not be exceeded. Larger groups will be split up and the price increased in accordance with the size of the group. We would be happy to send you a detailed offer for exclusive guided tours.

Location rental

We are happy to rent out our rooms for your events. You can hold a private celebration or a company event in the former studio rooms on the ground floor or on the second floor. Use our rooms for presentations, film screenings, seminars, meetings or receptions and experience the flair of this old studio house. At just under 100sqm, the ground floor – Günther Uecker’s studio in the 1960s – offers space for a maximum of 70 people. At around 70sqm, Otto Piene’s legendary fire studio on the second floor of the ZERO house can accommodate up to 45 people. Feel free to contact us with regards to our various options, as well as when it comes to planning catering and furnishings.

Please note that the ZERO house does not have disabled access.

We look forward to your interest in tours or in renting out our rooms:
Email: info@zerofoundation.de
Tel.: 49-(0)211-59 80 59 76

Opening Hours

Only after registering by phone.

GETTING HERE BY PUBLIC TRANSPORT

From Dusseldorf’s main train station, you can reach us with tram lines 704 and 707, alighting at the “Helmholtzstraße” stop.

PARKING

The ZERO house does not have its own parking facilities. We recommend arriving by public transport.

Media

“Ein Kleid, monochrom. ZERO and Fashion, Exhibition and Fashion Show, ZERO foundation, Düsseldorf, April 16 – July 2

“Unboxed…Archivgespräche der ZERO foundation”, online project, compilation of interviews conducted from 04/21 – 06/21, ZERO foundation, Düsseldorf

Available in German language only.

#zero_art_aroundtheworld, online project, ZERO foundation, Düsseldorf 02/2021 – 04/2021

“Mack and Music – A conference in honor of Heinz Mack”, hybrid conference, ZERO foundation, Düsseldorf, 26.02.2021
Available in German language only.

“ZERO. Please turn! Open House. Open-Air Exhibition. Conference.“ ZERO foundation, Düsseldorf, 18.10.2018 – 20.10.2018

Exhibition „ZERO” inPohang Museum of Steel Art (POMA), Pohang, Republic of Korea, 04.9.2019 – 27.01.2020

Press

You are welcome to request press releases and photo material from us for editorial and journalistic coverage. Text and photo material is available for download in our press portal. To download this content, please login.
We are happy to send you a valid password upon request.

PRESS CONTACT

ZERO foundation

Leonard Merkes
Administration, Public Relations & Kommunikation

info@zerofoundation.de
Tel.: +49 (0)211 59 80 59 77

Circle of Friends

I eat zero, I drink zero, I sleep zero, I awake zero, I love zero. Zero is beautiful.

(Excerpt from the ZERO Manifesto, 1963)

ZERO is beautiful. Would you like to find out more about ZERO – to experience it and go on a journey with it? Would you like to get to know ZERO in more detail and keep the memory of this art movement alive? Then become a member of our ZERO circle of friends.
Welcome to the circle. As a member, you can take part in exclusive events such as previews or studio and collection visits. You can accompany the circle on visits to ZERO-specific museums and exhibits in New York, Istanbul, Paris, Milan, Amsterdam, Antwerp or Seoul, as well as on tours organised exclusively for the circle of friends. You will get to personally meet with artists, collectors, curators and museum directors. As a member, you will receive all information on the ZERO foundation’s planned exhibitions and activities before anyone else – we keep you in the picture at all times.

Our history

The non-profit association Freunde der ZERO foundation Düsseldorf e.V. [Friends of the ZERO foundation in Dusseldorf] was founded in January 2010 in order to support the foundation’s projects and to expand its unique collection through the acquisition of ZERO art. Additionally, the circle wishes to bring together people who share the same passion: the ZERO period and its art.
We are delighted with the constantly growing number of active members. Everyone is able to play an active role in the Freunde der ZERO foundation Düsseldorf e.V. association, and thus to fill the circle of friends with life and ideas. We would be glad to welcome you to the circle.

Membership

Annual fee for individual membership:	150 euros
Annual fee for double membership:	250 euros
Annual fee for sponsoring membership:	700 euros
Junior members up to the age of 40:	50 euros
Annual fee for company membership:	1,000 euros

Download the membership application!
Annual fees and donations are deductible within the meaning of Section 10b EStG [German Income Tax Act]. A corresponding donation receipt will be made out to each member annually.
Would you like to give a membership to our association as a gift? We also offer the option of a six-month gift membership. The semi-annual fee amounts to 75 euros for individual membership, 125 euros for double membership and 25 euros for individual members under the age of 40.

Board

Detlef Hunsdiek (Vorsitzender), Antonia Lehmann-Tolkmitt (stellv. Vorsitzende), Gisa Berghof, Stefan G. Drzisga, Barbara Könches, George Lenz, Alexa Riederer von Paar, Hubertus Schoeller, Georg Wiesner

Programme and Member Support

Marlene Reinkemeier

Freunde der ZERO foundation Düsseldorf e.V.
Hüttenstraße 104
40215 Dusseldorf
Tel.: +49 (0)211 59 85 14 86
Email: freundeskreis@zerofoundation.de

Supporter

Supporters and Sponsors

The ZERO foundation is financed by the Department of Culture of the City of Düsseldorf

The ZERO foundation is supported financially and administratively by the Stiftung Museum Kunstpalast

The website was created with significant support of

The ZERO House was significantly funded by

Freunde der ZERO foundation Düsseldorf e.V.

Beck & Eggeling International Fine Art
Dr. Christoph Boeger
BORZOGALLERY
Till Breckner
Dorotheum
Dr. Gabriele Fischer
Jens-Daniel Florian
Elizabeth Goldring Piene
Rolf Kalthöfer
Andreas Kleffel
Sammlung Lenz Schönberg
Ute und Heinz Mack
The Mayor Gallery
Catherine Pape
Tonny und Henk Peeters
Irmgard und Robert Rademacher
Familie Salentin
Harry Schmitz
Hubertus Schoeller
Rüdiger K. Weng
Weng Fine Art AG
Rüdiger K. Weng A+A GmbH

Contact

Hüttenstraße 104
40215 Düsseldorf
Germany
Phone: +49 (0)211 59 80 59 77
Fax: +49 (0)211 59 80 59 76
Email: info@zerofoundation.de

ZERO foundation

News

ZERO and Fashion. Lecture by Prof. Dr. Barbara Vinken
02. October 2023, ZERO House Düsseldorf