Nevin Aladağ | Raise the Roof: Mathildenhöhe Darmstadt

The Institut Mathildenhöhe Darmstadt is dedicating the first major solo exhibition of a contemporary artist in its historic exhibition building since its reopening in September 2024, to the internationally renowned installation and performance artist Nevin Aladağ.

In her multimedia works, Aladağ playfully and often humorously combines sculpture, painting, textiles, video, and sound. Using the principle of collage, she creates surprising connections – between art and music, as well as between geographies and cultures. The exhibition brings together around 40 works created between 2012 and 2025 across more than 1,000 square meters of exhibition space – including several new pieces shown for the first time.

The exhibition title, Raise the Roof, references Aladağ's dance performance that was re-staged in 2017 for the Venice Biennale. But the meaning of the title goes far beyond that work: Raise the Roof not only signifies the literal lifting of a roof but also metaphorically suggests the shaking of a building. By playing with the dimensions of the exhibition space, Aladağ explores the potential of her works and of the venue — in the artist's own words; 'Each of the four exhibition halls has a very distinctive character, which inspired us to spatially stage the various groups of works in a targeted way, allowing new cross-connections to emerge'. In her site-specific installation, Nevin Aladağ gives the idea of the Gesamtkunstwerk (total work of art) a contemporary voice.

Curated by Dr. Sandra Bornemann-Quecke, Institut Mathildenhöhe Darmstadt.

Institut Mathildenhöhe

Olbrichweg 15

64287 Darmstadt