Texte zur Kunst

Texte zur Kunst was founded in 1990 in Cologne by art historian Stefan Germer and political scientist Isabelle Graw and is published in Berlin since 2000.[1][2] Since the death of Stefan Germer in 1998, Graw is the sole publisher and manager.[3][4]

Texte zur Kunst is published in the relatively small format of 166 x 230 mm and contains approximately 300 pages. Each issue focusses on a theme and features German and English essays, interviews, round-table discussions and reviews in which contemporary art, film, and music but also fashion and design are discussed. In in-depth essays, art-historical questions and topics relating to socio-political theory and cultural policy are discussed.[5] Thematic focus is on areas of institutional critique, feminism, media criticism and theory of subjectivity.[2]

In an interview with Ingo Arend for the Die Tageszeitung, Isabelle Graw positioned the magazine as left-wing. Artist and curator Wolfgang Müller describes it as individualistic neo-liberal and hermetic.[6] The magazine is influenced by the journal October, but differentiates itself by also covering pop-culture. Unlike other art magazines it aims to critically examine rather than promote art and demystify the production conditions of art.[5][7]

With each edition, Texte zur Kunst offers an artist's edition by a contemporary artist.[8]

The editorial staff consists of Colin Lang (V.i.S.d.P.) and Anke Dyes.[9][10] The editorial advisory board consists of Sven Beckstette, Sabeth Buchmann, Diedrich Diederichsen, Helmut Draxler, Jutta Koether, Clemens Krümmel, Susanne Leeb, Dirk von Lowtzow, Hanna Magauer, Juliane Rebentisch, André Rottmann, Beate Söntgen, Gregor Stemmrich, Mirjam Thomann and Astrid Wege.[10]

In 2010, artist's editions from the 20 previous years were shown in the Sammlung Haubrok[11]

• Erste Wahl. 20 Jahre „Texte zur Kunst“. 2 Bde. Philo Fine Arts, Hamburg 2011.
  • 1. Dekade. Philo Fine Arts, Hamburg 2011, ISBN 978-3-86572-667-4. (Fundus-Bücher. 200)
  • 2. Dekade. Philo Fine Arts, Hamburg 2011, ISBN 978-3-86572-668-1. (Fundus-Bücher. 201)
• Chevalier, Catherine; Fohr, Andreas; Baumann, Daniel. Une anthologie de la revue Texte zur Kunst de 1990 à 1998 (in French). Presses du réel ; JRP/Ringier. ISBN 9782840662358. OCLC 780080342.