Kafka and art: Dr. Schmidt reveals fascinating connections!

Kafka and art: Dr. Schmidt reveals fascinating connections!

An exciting lecture about Franz Kafka's relationship to the visual arts will take place in the Lindenau Museum in Altenburg on Thursday, July 3, 2025. The lecture, which begins at 6 p.m., will be given by Dr. Friedrich Schmidt, a recognized German scholar and philosopher. This event is part of the ongoing exhibition “Stars over Paris – Sergio Birga and Modernism”, which will be on view from May 20th to August 10th, 2025. How abg-net.de reports, Dr. Schmidt delves deeply into Kafka's engagement with the visual arts and shows how the artist Sergio Birga, whose works are presented in the exhibition, was inspired by Kafka's literary worlds.

Dr. In his doctorate, Friedrich Schmidt examined the interplay between Kafka's work and its reception in the visual arts. The extensive knowledge he acquired while studying German and philosophy at the universities of Mannheim, Heidelberg and Tübingen will be incorporated into this lecture. Schmidt, who held teaching positions in Friborg and Bern, is considered an expert on the topics of Kafka, Kleist and Nietzsche as well as on the visual arts and logic.

The artist Sergio Birga

Sergio Birga, who lived from 1940 to 2021, is a central figure in the current exhibition. He moved to Paris in the 1960s, where he began to experiment with printmaking techniques and painting. How lindenau-museum.de highlights, Birga was heavily influenced by German expressionists such as Otto Dix and Oskar Kokoschka. Social events such as the student protests in 1968 and the Vietnam War also influenced his choice of motifs.

His fascination with Franz Kafka is evident in many of his works, particularly the woodcuts that express Kafka's dark visions. In the current exhibition, the artistic connection between Birga and Kafka becomes clear through a variety of works that transcend language and national borders.

Events as part of the exhibition

Several events are offered for the exhibition “Stars over Paris – Sergio Birga and modernity”. On the opening day, May 18, 2025, the exhibition will open in the ballroom of the Altenburg Residential Palace at 3 p.m. In addition to the lecture by Dr. Schmidt, public tours are also planned on June 1st, June 26th and July 20th, 2025, at 11 a.m. Other special events include workshops such as “Strolling + Wine” and “Woodcut + Wine” as well as evening tours that offer special insights into Birga’s work. Some of these events require registration.

The exhibition catalog is published by Sandstein Verlag and offers a comprehensive overview of Birga's works and influence. The exhibition itself can be viewed in the Prince's Palace of the Altenburg Residential Palace, but is not barrier-free accessible.