Ausstellung „Scenario for a Crystal“ + „Echoes of Athanor“. Im Rahmen des Projekts „Sigmar Polke. Athanor NOW“ der Anna Polke-Stiftung

The Italian Cultural Institute in Cologne is part of “Sigmar Polke. Athanor NOW.” This international research and outreach project,initiatedby theAnna Polke Foundation, takes the anniversary of Sigmar Polke’s“Athanor” installation at the 42nd Venice Biennale in 1986 as an opportunity to reexamine this Golden Lion-winning body of work from an interdisciplinary perspective.

In keeping with the Biennale’s motto at the time, “Arte e Scienza,” the Italian Cultural Institute presents the exhibition “Scenario for aCrystal” by Stefanie Pluta and the sound work “Echoes of Athanor” by Francesca Valentini and Fabrizio Saiu, in dialogue with archival materials and publications from the Anna Polke Foundation, which highlight Italy’s significance for the Cologne-based artist Sigmar Polke.

Opening hours:
July 13 – November20 ,2026
Mon.–Thu. 9:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m. / 1:30 p.m.–5:00 p.m.
Fri. 9:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.

Opening: Friday, July10 , 7:00 p.m., with the artists and curators in attendance
With an Italian aperitif.
Free admission.

Curated by: Elsa Wellmann-Gilcher with Kathrin Barutzki
Concept/Coordination: Elsa Wellmann-Gilcher

Stefanie Pluta, “Scenario for a Crystal”

Observation of nature forms the starting point for Stefanie Pluta’s work “Scenario for a Crystal.” The Cologne-based artist draws on Sigmar Polke’s interest in minerals, natural processes, and the interplay between natural materials, artistic transformation, and symbolic meaning—an interest that manifested itself in the “Athanor” installation, among other works, through the presentation of a quartz crystal and a meteorite. The interplay of materiality, scientific curiosity, and poetic imagery also characterizes Pluta’s work. In “Scenario for a Crystal,” the artist critically examines the history of the Indergand crystal, a smoky quartz recovered in 1946 not far from the Rhône Glacier. In doing so, she draws on research conducted during her three-month studio residency in the Swiss Central Alps in 2014, during which she explored questions of materiality, appearance, and texture as well as symbolic meaning, geographical location, and museum presentation.

Pluta’s work combines fragmentary nature photographs, true-to-scale drawings, and model-like display cases to create a topographical approach to the absent protagonist—the crystal. “Scenario for a Crystal” explores the complex relationship between humans and these natural objects—a relationship that oscillates between admiration, appropriation, and museum (re)presentation.

“Echoes of Athanor”

“Echoes of Athanor” combines artistic creation with art-historical research: In a first-of-its-kind collaboration, art historian Francesca Valentini and sound artist Fabrizio Saiu develop a sound experience that weaves together historical narratives, ekphrastic descriptions, critical reflections, and the soundscape of Venice. The site-specific audio piece evokes the atmosphere and conceptual framework of Sigmar Polke’s “Athanor” installation at the 1986 VeniceBiennale in 1986 and guides listeners through Polke’s artistic legacy, the problematic genesis and history of the German Pavilion—a monumental example of Nazi architecture—and the broader context of the biennial international art exhibition. Venice itself is also at the center of the sound experience, which reflects on the lagoon city as a unique, fragile, and constantly evolving ecosystem.

“Echoes of Athanor” will be presented for the first time in Germany on July 10, 2026, in the form of a Sonic Walk, following its premiere in Venice in May, and will subsequently be incorporated into the exhibition.

The Sonic Walks will take place in the lead-up to the opening on July 10, starting at 6:00 p.m. (ITA) and 6:30 p.m. (DE). Due to limited capacity, registration is required here: iiccolonia@esteri.it.When registering, please indicate whether you would like to participate in the Italian- or German-language Sonic Walk.

Image above: Francesca Valentini, Echoes of Athanor, 2026 © Francesca Valentini
Gallery images: Stefanie Pluta,Scenario for a Crystal, installation views at Walzwerk Null, Düsseldorf, 2014 © Stefanie Pluta