Tell us a bit about your background, the projects you’re currently working on, and how you came to lead VARIOUS OTHERS Munich starting in 2022.
Working for several years as an independent curator and writer for various organizations has given me important insights into the art system. I understood different perspectives, and through my projects in Munich, I gradually developed an understanding of the city itself. Not as someone who was born here, but as an observer of the local scene’s peculiarities. I’ve lived in Munich since 2011 and was honoured to be asked to take over from those who founded and established the project in its early years. Munich needed such an ambitious and international initiative—one that gives the city and its art scene the recognition it deserves.
Can you describe to us the partnership model VARIOUS OTHERS has with art institutions, galleries, and off-spaces? How is this approach implemented in practice?
VARIOUS OTHERS has followed this concept from the very beginning, and I remain a strong advocate for it. The initiative is organized by a non-profit association with an honorary board that provides invaluable support and many contributing members. On the one hand, we have the 36 venues—galleries, artist-run spaces, and institutions—each bringing their perspectives, contributions, and needs. They develop this constantly evolving program for each edition of VARIOUS OTHERS. On the other hand, more than 40 Munich residents support the association through regular donations. To my knowledge, this combination of institutions, artist-run spaces, galleries, and engaged citizens is unique, and it defines our approach. Perhaps you can imagine how diverse, inspiring, and sometimes challenging it is when all these voices come together to discuss new ideas and upcoming projects.
The initiative connects local and international art scenes. What are the most rewarding or challenging aspects of cultivating these collaborations?
It’s always rewarding to see new artists and works brought into the city, especially when they leave with a positive impression and become ambassadors for Munich. The international audience of collectors, curators, and journalists who discover VARIOUS OTHERS and bring new ideas and energy to the city is also a great asset. The challenges are often in the details: each collaboration is an individual agreement between partners, and these projects tend to be more complex than a typical solo exhibition. But nearly everyone who has realized such collaborative exhibitions in recent years speaks highly of these experiences, true to the words of the great Karl Valentin: “Art is beautiful, but it requires a lot of work.”
What guides the selection of artists, galleries, and curators each year? Is there a particular focus this time?
The selection of artists is made by the individual galleries and artist-run spaces, who invite their collaborators, curators, or artists. We don’t impose a theme, focus, or direction—we simply encourage collaboration. Every year, VARIOUS OTHERS also initiates a special event, often involving participants and additional guests. In recent years, this has included an exhibition of Munich-based private collections and another featuring local artists selected by international curators. This year, we are organizing an “Unconference” at one of the city’s most iconic venues, the Hotel Bayerischer Hof, with a wide range of speakers, curators, and artists.
What’s in store for this year’s edition? Which themes, highlights, or collaborations are you most excited about?
This year, 36 venues are across the city. We’re proud that each one is contributing something unique to the program. VARIOUS OTHERS 25 will welcome over a dozen guest galleries and curators, and more than 250 artists will take part. Visitors can expect a vibrant program of over 30 events, including openings, talks, receptions, performances, workshops, lectures, finissages, and guided tours.
This lively program will be accompanied by a VARIOUS OTHERS Special: Too Soon To Say—The Unconference, a marathon of panels, music, performances, discussions, lectures, film screenings, and site-specific interventions.
From May 8 to 11, the Hotel Bayerischer Hof will be transformed into a space of exchange, experience, and expertise. We want to celebrate contemporary art as a foundation for solidarity and forward-looking coexistence, embracing speculation as a method to open up new perspectives and possibilities for action.
What has changed in the structure or mode of operation compared to last year? What kinds of dialogue or discourse does this year’s edition aim to generate? And how might the format or mission of VARIOUS OTHERS evolve in the years to come?
VARIOUS OTHERS has always stood for collaboration between different players in the city—for teamwork, open communication, diversity, and discursive engagement. These values have shaped our work so far, and they will remain central going forward. We also aim to strengthen our international presence in the coming years and build dialogue with similar initiatives elsewhere. Munich has so much to offer, and our goal is to invite more people to experience its art scene firsthand.
The visual identity of the format—including its graphic design and online presence—feels fresh and contemporary. How important is this aspect to the overall concept?
The visual identity is always essential — each year, we enjoy rethinking our direction and considering what we might change. We’ve worked with Parat.cc from the beginning, and they’ve done a fantastic job of shaping our identity. In recent years, we’ve increasingly tried to connect the annual visual concept with our programming ideas—sneaking in a few surprises in the lead-up to the festival. As with any initiative, we want the presentation to match the strength of its content. With so many contributors, it only makes sense that we present a clear, contemporary, and self-confident visual image that brings together the diversity of all participating venues under one cohesive umbrella.
How do biennial-style programs like VARIOUS OTHERS respond to the current global—or specifically European—socio-political climate?
That’s an important question. I believe that idealistic, non-profit formats like VARIOUS OTHERS can offer meaningful responses to some of today’s most urgent challenges. In recent decades, exchange and cooperation—within Europe and beyond—have been key to building networks, prosperity, and understanding. That’s why I’m convinced that VARIOUS OTHERS and similar formats in other cities can continue to bring people together and draw attention to the importance of art and, above all, the voices and ideas of contemporary artists.
As an independent curator and writer, what keeps you inspired in your work?
I believe that inspiration can come from anywhere, especially in a task as multifaceted as mine. Of course, I try to see as many exhibitions as possible, still love spending time in bookshops, and I seek out cultural production in other fields to better understand our present. I’m a curious and open-minded person who loves to travel and is genuinely interested in understanding the perspectives of the people I meet.
VARIOUS OTHERS
May 8-18, 2025
www.variousothers.com
Filter powered by VARIOUS OTHERS is the online calendar for all contemporary art events in Munich. Here you can find all events: www.filter-munich.com
VARIOUS OTHERS is organized by the association VFAMK e.V.—the „Verein zur Förderung der Außenwahrnehmung Münchens als Kunststandort,“ a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting contemporary art in Munich and enhancing its international profile. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the unwavering support of our long-standing partners and members, as well as the tireless dedication of our active participants, all of whom are essential to the success and vitality of VARIOUS OTHERS.