SCHWANDORF.- After several months of closure for renovation work to improve accessibility, Kebbel Villa will reopen on April 26, 2026. A key element of the renovation is the installation of a wheelchair-accessible lift connecting all levels of the building—from the print workshops in the basement to the exhibition floors and the event space above. Following the installation of a solar power system in 2024 for the Artist-in-Residence building, this marks another step toward meeting contemporary museum standards.

The reopening also launches the 2026 exhibition program, beginning with a comprehensive presentation of Boris Lurie, accompanied by works by Stanley Fisher and Sam Goodman, co-founders of the NO!art movement. In summer, the focus shifts to painting, with exhibitions dedicated to Sarah Bogner and to Isabelle Heske and René Radomsky. After the annual presentation of new acquisitions to the Art Collection of the District of Upper Palatinate, the group exhibition HNTRLND concludes the program, examining the romanticization of rural and peripheral spaces and related political and cultural tensions. Each exhibition is accompanied by events such as artist talks, lectures, concerts, and film screenings; a new performance program will be introduced in 2026.

All exhibitions are curated by Artistic Director Jürgen Dehm, except HNTRLND, which was initiated by Jonas Höschl and curated in collaboration with Leonie Rösler and Marlene Sichelschmidt.

As part of the international Artist-in-Residence program, artists from 15 partner institutions will live and work on the grounds of Kebbel Villa throughout the year.

Exhibitions at Kebbel Villa in 2026

NEIN! Boris Lurie and NO!art
April 26–June 7, 2026 / Opening: April 26, 11am

This exhibition, presented in collaboration with the Boris Lurie Art Foundation, features key works by Boris Lurie (1924 Leningrad, USSR—2008 New York, NY, US) alongside works by NO!art co-founders Stanley Fisher (1926–1980 New York, NY, US) and Sam Goodman (1919 Toronto, Canada—1967 New York, NY, US). Lurie’s practice, shaped by his experiences as a Holocaust survivor, combines fragmented memories with imagery from the dark side of consumer culture, resulting in a deliberately provocative visual language. The NO!art artists developed a radical position opposing the established art scene in New York in the late 1950s and 1960s, dominated by Abstract Expressionism and Pop Art.

Sarah Bogner
July 12–August 23, 2026

In her paintings, Sarah Bogner (1980 Munich, lives in Vienna) uses recurring motifs such as horses as elements within complex compositions rather than naturalistic depictions. Her works explore relationships between form, color, and space through layering, superimposition, and dissolution. The exhibition centers on a large-scale painting created for the ground floor, complemented by works in varying formats.

Isabelle Heske & René Radomsky
July 12–August 23, 2026

This two-person exhibition brings together distinct approaches to surface. Isabelle Heske (1990 Düsseldorf, lives in Berlin) works with layered textile materials, creating compositions that address fragmentation and materiality. René Radomsky (1989 Nuremberg, where he currently lives), drawing on his background as a tattoo artist, explores processes of inscription and transformation across media.

Art Collection of the District of Upper Palatinate—New Acquisitions 2026
September 13–October 25, 2026

The annually curated presentation highlights recent acquisitions and places them in dialogue with existing holdings, reflecting the ongoing development of the collection.

HNTRLND
November 29, 2026–February 28, 2027

This group exhibition examines the “hinterland” as a social and cultural construct, questioning its idealization as a stable and authentic counterpart to urban life. It explores historical narratives, current developments, and media representations, addressing themes such as structural change, migration, and political polarization.