The work sphere of commissioned works ranges from the artistic handling of filmicand photographic archival material for exhibitions in museums to documentaryapproaches of longterm photographic observations to portraits and stagings.
The exhibition “This Is the Turbulence”operates at the intersection of visual art and science communication and is based on a one-year process of artistic research conducted by the artist Emanuel Mathias. In collaboration with lecturers and alumni from the Department of Engineering and Natural Sciences (INW), he explored working and knowledge-production processes as well as rituals and gestures within scientific disciplines, reflecting on the historical and spatial dimensions between the university and its regional network. He accompanied the research project pool-in-loop, which focuses on developing an energy-efficient method of chemical recycling, conducted interviews, observed practical courses and colloquia, and undertook excursions in the industrialregion of Central Germany shaped by structural transformation.
Background to the Exhibition
The occasion for the exhibition was the 70th anniversary of the Merseburg campus in 2024. The site brings together the history of two institutions: the Technical University (TH) Leuna-Merseburg (1954–1993) and, since 1992, Merseburg University of Applied Sciences. Alongside its history, the exhibition focuses on the university’s present self-conception, regional knowledge transfer, and its close connection to the chemical industry site in Leuna.The exhibition presents contemporary photographs, installations, scientificand historical objects, as well as multimedia works. Conceived as a space for reflection and social exchange, it invites visitors to see the university anew and to engage in dialogue about scientific practice.
Further information is available on the project website.
