You can do a lot here if you want to

Frank Weinhold

With posters under his arm, a black winter jacket and red trainers, Frank Weinhold is on his way to the Gunzenhauser Museum. He knows the museum well and has experienced many vernissages and exhibitions. He has been a member of the Young Friends of Art since 2009 and, together with his team, is organising the Young Art Night on 5 December. We spoke to him about the Chemnitz art scene.

Which work of art particularly impressed you?
Frank Weinhold: I am more impressed by non-objective paintings. In Berlin, I saw a retrospective of the Zero group with works by Heinz Mack, Otto Piene and Günther Uecker. They created exciting works of art with nails, light and fire. But I was also very impressed by works by László Moholy-Nagy, the Bauhaus master.

You studied computer science. Not necessarily a typical degree programme for people interested in art.
That's right. I studied computer science for four years in Mittweida, worked for five years afterwards and then wanted to continue my education. So I went to Chemnitz University of Technology and studied Automotive Software Engineering there. In the second semester, Dr Möller offered a course on "Art and Creativity" as part of the general studies programme. This course changed me. We visited artists every week and talked about their creative work. From the passionate computer scientist I was before, I became more and more of a passionate art fan.

Did you also make contact with the Young Friends of Art during this time?
The Young Friends of Art was founded in 2005 by Kerstin Seliger, cultural manager of the Friends of the Chemnitz Art Collections, and Thomas Bauer-Friedrich, then curator of the Gunzenhauser Museum. I joined in 2009 and have been active in the organisation team ever since. I didn't just want to go to the events, I wanted to be involved myself.

How young should a young art lover be?
That's an interesting question, because I'm already 37. The Young Friends of Art are organised throughout Germany in a national initiative and in some other associations you have to be under 30 to be a Young Friend. In Chemnitz, the target group was always in their early 20s to late 30s. Age is relative in Chemnitz.

In 2003, the collector Alfred Gunzenhauser donated his art collection to a foundation based in Chemnitz. The former savings bank building opened in 2007 and since then has presented works that are mainly dedicated to modern art. Art lover Gunzenhauser passed away last week. Frank Weinhold is convinced that his name and his impressive collection will remain forever associated with the city. "A whole house for his collection. It was built at a time that also coincided with the content of his collection. The historical context of the building and his works simply fit together." Gunzenhauser was also personally present at one of the first art nights in Chemnitz. This year, the 9th Young Art Night is taking place there.

What is happening at the Young Art Night on 5 December?
We're doing a Christmas edition this year. In previous years, it always worked well to incorporate the motto from the exhibition. We celebrated a 1920s party here with Otto Dix or asked somewhat cheekily: "Is this art or can it go away?" The date this year falls in the run-up to Christmas, so we have picked up on this theme. There will be a show programme with three acts. The Vernissagers, Skrab & Chemnitz Connection and Five Dildos, not Six will be playing. We also have a surprise up our sleeve. We're trying to offer things that you don't usually find in museums. It will be an avant-garde mix of performances, readings and music. Guided tours will of course also be on offer. There will be a Christmas market outside in the sculpture garden and visitors will also be able to show off their creativity in the Secret Santa workshop.

Unusual activities in the museum - does it have a lasting effect?
It seems to me that the people of Chemnitz are reluctant to visit the art collections and the Gunzenhauser Museum. We have to find ways to break this ice. The art nights are one possibility and work quite well in Chemnitz. 300 to 400 visitors came each time. We are very happy with that. I would like to see more interest in other guided tours and vernissages. There are at least 60,000 people between the ages of 20 and 40 in this city, where are they all?

Can young people relate to Karl Schmidt-Rottluff?
You might not think so straight away. I also feel that young people are more interested in contemporary art. But Expressionism is still popular with many. And the upcoming exhibition will prove it again. The whole spectrum will be shown here. From paintings, jewellery and objects to furniture. That's absolutely exciting again. I'm sure it will also inspire today's generations.

The birthplace of Karl Schmidt-Rottluff and a meeting place for Brücke artists, home to Carsten Nicolai, Clara Mosch worked here and there are still contemporary artists here today - Chemnitz can tell an exciting story in the field of art, despite its grubby and industrial character. What do you think are the reasons why Chemnitz is interesting for creative people?
Chemnitz is not a sure-fire success, not even for creative people. It is a disadvantage that there is no traditional art college or that there is no art history faculty at the university. Nevertheless, there are artists here who dare to do something, look for their place and find a city that is not yet finished. Chemnitz's reputation as a city of art is mainly due to the good work of its museums. This is also recognised internationally.

As Young Friends of Art, you have been involved in city marketing issues. In 2012, for example, you and Chosy organised chemnitz-lebt.de. Where did the impetus come from?
Back then, the pessimistic attitude of the population towards their own city was not discussed as openly as it is today. The people of Chemnitz aren't a bunch of blowhards. They can sometimes be put down and don't stand by their city. We wanted to create a statement that the people here are also happy.

And today?
In the cultural scene, I meet a lot of people who are movers and shakers in this city. The creative artists I know stay on the ball and put their heart and soul into their work, even if they experience the odd setback. They always provide impetus. Holm Krieger once said: "Chemnitz is the capital of potential. The creative artists offer the citizens of this city a diverse programme. Curator Anja Richter, for example, has installed a series here in the museum that presents young Saxon artists in the Gunzenhauser Museum. There is an excellent literary arena at Poet/bewegt. When I visited the kammermachen theatre festival at Weltecho or TANZ|Moderne|TANZ at Theater Chemnitz, I thought to myself, why are there still empty chairs here with such an excellent programme? Unfortunately, too few young audiences come to these valuable events. Simply going to a museum or theatre with muse and composure - the people of Chemnitz don't do that enough.
In Cologne, Berlin and Leipzig, you can immerse yourself in the cultural scene and consume, consume, consume. In Chemnitz, you go from being a consumer to a producer in the medium term. You can do a lot here if you want to. You can find niches here that have long been occupied in other cities. The scene here in Chemnitz offers a lot of opportunities and encourages you to get involved.

Do you also have art hanging in your home?
Of course. I have a work by Peter Piek at home, for example. He is also originally from Chemnitz, but is now an artist and musician in Leipzig. His exhibition with the Querschlag group, which also includes Michael Goller, Michael Knauth and Dirk Hanus, was one of the first exhibitions I'd ever been to. The vernissage was in the Chemnitz Sparkasse and the pictures only hung for one day because they were too lewd and provocative. Ten years later, I bought one of Piek's works.

Do you have a favourite place in Chemnitz?
There is an art installation by Frank Maibier and Gregor-Torsten Kozik on Flemmingstraße in the area of the workshops for the blind and visually impaired. It is dedicated to the victims of euthanasia. It is very impressive in its expressiveness and realisation.

Do we need to encourage the people of Chemnitz?
It is more important to take advantage of what is on offer and to appreciate the existing cultural scene. You don't always have to like everything. But the more you see, the more you discover.