Festival Double Portraits”: Art and anti-Semitism in the focus of the Folkwang University!

Festival Double Portraits”: Art and anti-Semitism in the focus of the Folkwang University!

The Folkwang University of the Arts is actively involved in the “Doppelbildnisse” festival, which deals comprehensively with the fascinating and ambivalent personality of Alma Mahler-Werfel. This festival is held in several Essen cultural institutions, including Aalto Music Theater, Old Synagogue, Essen Philharmonic, Museum Folkwang and the Essen Philharmonic. An exhibition with student work from the design department will be shown in the Philharmonie Essen from May 22nd to June 21st, 2025. In their critical discussions, the students reflect on Alma Mahler's role both as a supporter of the arts and in relation to anti-Semitic attitudes.

The festival, which will be held from March 20 to June 22, 2025, includes a diverse program. The exhibition “Woman in Blue” at the Folkwang Museum focuses on the relationship between Alma Mahler and the painter Oskar Kokoschka. Its opening will take place on March 19, 2025, and the exhibition will present almost 30 works, most of which are on loan from international collections. In addition, the Symphony Concert VIII Alma Mahler's Five Songs will be performed in an orchestral version on March 20th and 21st in the Essen Philharmonie.

Diverse events

The festival offers a variety of events that address relevant social issues such as racism, anti-Semitism, flight and exile. A symposium about Alma Mahler-Werfel will take place on March 21st, which will shed light on her compositional work. A chamber music event will also take place in the “Wiener Salon” on March 22, 2025 and will present works by Alma Mahler and her contemporaries.

Several interesting programs are scheduled for April, including a song recital that focuses on the relationship between Gustav Mahler, Alma Mahler and Walter Gropius. The date for this is April 11th. In addition, a movement project entitled “ALMA_Fragments” is being implemented, which reflects Alma's escape from the Nazis.

Entry and organization

Admission to all Folkwang events, including the aforementioned exhibition and the moving finissage, is free. Further details and a complete overview of the events are available on the festival website, doppelbildnisse.de. It is recommended to check the access regulations on the respective venue websites.

The “Doppelbildnisse” festival is more than just an appreciation of Alma Mahler-Werfel’s work and influence. It invites you to critically examine your person and your time and promotes a dialogue about the challenges that are still relevant today. Alma Mahler-Werfel, who grew up as the daughter of a painter and a singer and was idolized by many Viennese modern artists, remains a key figure in the decision-making of art and ethics in the 20th century.

For further information about the event, please visit the website Folkwang University of the Arts, Double portraits and Cultural West.