Can art provide answers and hope in a world in crisis? Yes, paintings, sculptures and installations have this power, says Wolfgang Gramm, chief curator of NordArt. The exhibition in the historic iron foundry in Büdelsdorf, west of Kiel, is taking place for the 24th time. In addition to the 22,000 square meters of exhibition space in the foundry's halls, the sculpture park, which is four times as large, also attracts numerous visitors to the art exhibition, which derives its unique atmosphere precisely from its seclusion and thus offers a welcome change to the overcrowded biennials and cramped art fairs. Every year about 3,000 artists apply to take part, and about 200 are finally selected. NordArt, which runs from June 3 to October 8, is organized by Kunstwerk Carlshütte, a non-profit cultural initiative.
The focus country for this year's edition is Turkey, which is represented by 17 artists. Contemporary works by Chinese artists will also be featured in 2023. For years, the organizers have been cultivating contacts with the Chinese art scene, which has become an integral part of the exhibition program. Another highlight will be the works of Armenian photo artist Lilya Corneli: In the special project To be A Muse, she presents portrait photographs that, with modern clothing and jewelry, look like updates of centuries-old paintings. Corneli counters the exaggeration of muses by reminding us that they are just people, with all their facets and little flaws.
