The wolf is back in the German forests. According to a report by the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation in Germany, more than 100 packs are said to live in Germany. Certainly, one could argue, that the return of wildlife is a positive sign of a recovering ecosystem.  The presence of wolves, however, does stoke many old and new fears. The image of the bloodthirsty beast found in Grimm’s fairy tales and medieval legends seems to be deeply rooted in us.

Like hardly any other animal, the wolf is a symbol of the wild, which is not domesticated and therefore unpredictable and dangerous. At the same time, representations of the freedom-loving animal are frequently used as an idealized longing for the return to a natural, original state in which untouched wilderness and human civilization are equally opposed.

The exhibition, initiated by the painter Gisela Krohn, takes the return of the wolf as an opportunity to reflect on the ambivalent relationship between human civilization, forests and wilderness.

The works of the 22 participating artists, designers and game developers visualize the various aspects of the topic and show the wolf and other animals in the field of tension between myth, fascination and fear. The aim of the exhibition and the accompanying program is to enlighten our understanding of the wolf and the importance of wilderness for our time.

 

With works by

Alexandra Bart / Babette Boucher / Jonas Brinker / Mark Dion / Isabelle Dutoit / Tanja Fender / Jana Francke / Lüzia Hürzeler / Malgosia Jankowska / Michael Jastram / Astrid Köhler / Gisela Krohn / Moritz Krohn / Werner Liebmann / Jarek Lustych / Irmela Maier / Nashun Nashunbatu / Barbara Quandt / Miriam Vlaming / Stephan Reusse / Lionel Sabatté / Igor Sacharow / Anankul Shaarbek / Kiki Smith