Thingstätten at Art Space Elsa: Art and Science in Bielefeld

Thingstätten in Bielefeld: An Exhibition about Architecture, Memory and Responsibility

In the Art Space Elsa, art meets research and historical precision: Thingstätten is an interdisciplinary art and science project about the open air stages of National Socialism. The exhibition brings together photography, art, and scientific perspectives on a topic that has long been in the shadow of public memory. It will be on view from 17.04.2026 to 29.05.2026, and admission is free. ([rausgegangen.de](https://rausgegangen.de/en/events/thingstatten-kunst-und-wissenschaftsprojekt-zu-den-freilicht-0/))

An Artistic Experience between Image, Document and Research

The project works with a clear curatorial stance: it combines artistic positions with documentary accuracy and opens a space for the aesthetic experience of history. The Thingstätten were planned and built from 1933 to 1936 as propagandistic open-air stages and meeting places of National Socialism; the project examines this architecture as part of a burdened landscape of the 20th century. ([rausgegangen.de](https://rausgegangen.de/en/events/thingstatten-kunst-und-wissenschaftsprojekt-zu-den-freilicht-0/))

The double perspective is particularly strong: on the one hand, the sites appear as concrete architectural relics, on the other hand, as bearers of ideology, staging, and collective memory. In this tension, a compelling examination of the work emerges that does not rely on sensationalism but on understanding. ([rausgegangen.de](https://rausgegangen.de/en/events/thingstatten-kunst-und-wissenschaftsprojekt-zu-den-freilicht-0/))

Interdisciplinary Perspectives and Historical Depth

According to the organizers, the project brings together 23 international artists and researchers. The presentation is based on the intensively researched photo book Thingstätten and an interactive website; it was shown in 2023 at the Deutsches Haus of NYU in New York and is now being seen for the first time in Germany. For its research achievements, the project was awarded the European Heritage Award in the category of Research. ([rausgegangen.de](https://rausgegangen.de/en/events/thingstatten-kunst-und-wissenschaftsprojekt-zu-den-freilicht-0/))

This also gives the exhibition a museum-like and educational dimension: it provides access to a complex cultural history without oversimplifying it. For art-interested visitors, it opens up a thoughtful engagement with photography, memory culture, architecture, and the political charge of spaces. ([rausgegangen.de](https://rausgegangen.de/en/events/thingstatten-kunst-und-wissenschaftsprojekt-zu-den-freilicht-0/))

Art Space Elsa as a Venue for Contemporary Art

The Art Space Elsa is a project gallery for art and photography in Bielefeld. According to the house, the curatorial focus lies in connecting regional, national, and international photography and art as well as in participatory formats. The house was founded in 2019 and is located at Elsa-Brändström-Straße 13 in 33602 Bielefeld, near the train station and Jahnplatz. Public transport and short distances make the visit straightforward. ([elsa-art.de](https://elsa-art.de/die-galerie/))

The exhibition is open on Thursdays from 15 to 18 o'clock; additionally, it is visible through the window according to the house. The exhibition duration extends from 17.04.2026 to 29.05.2026. This makes the visit flexible and low-threshold at the same time. ([elsa-art.de](https://elsa-art.de/die-galerie/))

Katharina Bosse and the Curatorial Signature

The Art Space Elsa is curated by Prof. Katharina Bosse. According to the house page, she was born in Finland, grew up in Canada and Germany, worked after her photography studies in Bielefeld in New York as a freelance artist and photojournalist for the New York Times Magazine and The New Yorker, and exhibited in museums such as MoMA in New York and Centre Pompidou in Paris. Since 2003, she has been teaching as a professor of photography at Hochschule Bielefeld. This biography explains the international orientation and high professional authority of the house. ([elsa-art.de](https://elsa-art.de/die-galerie/))

This results in an exhibition that not only informs but also convinces aesthetically: through clear visual language, historical accuracy, and the calm power of a reflective art space. Those interested in art, architectural history, and memory culture will find a visit that has depth here. ([rausgegangen.de](https://rausgegangen.de/en/events/thingstatten-kunst-und-wissenschaftsprojekt-zu-den-freilicht-0/))

Conclusion: Thingstätten promises a concentrated artistic experience about the traces of National Socialist staging spaces, about photographic research, and about the question of how the past continues to resonate in images. A visit is definitely worthwhile because here art and science merge into a compelling, educational, and contemporary exhibition. ([rausgegangen.de](https://rausgegangen.de/en/events/thingstatten-kunst-und-wissenschaftsprojekt-zu-den-freilicht-0/))

Official Channels of Katharina Bosse:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elsa_artspace/
• Facebook: no official profile found
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@KunstraumElsa
• Website: https://elsa-art.de/

Sources:

• Bielefeld.jetzt - Thingstätten event entry
• Rausgegangen Bielefeld - Thingstätten
• Kunstraum Elsa Artspace Bielefeld - official website
• Kunstraum Elsa - The Gallery and curatorial information
• Kunstraum Elsa PDF - Social Media Notes