The second part of the exhibition “Fabric. Textile and the Female Nude” expands the existing concept to include new contemporary perspectives and artistic positions. While the first part of the exhibition highlighted the art historical tradition and the ambivalence of fabric as a medium between veiling and revealing, the second part focuses on current works by artists who critically examine the representation of the female body in connection with textiles.

In an increasingly digitalized world, where AI-generated images raise new questions about the representation of the female body, artistic reflections on textiles and the nude become even more important. The invited artists – including Finja Sander, Anna Grath, Makiko Harris, Sophie Utikal, Afifa Aleiby and others – approach the topic from different perspectives. They question viewing habits, examine body images, and address the social, cultural, and political implications of veiling and exposure.
The works on view reflect the construction of femininity throughout art history as well as the empowerment of the body. Some works deconstruct classical stagings, while others refer to personal or collective experiences and develop alternative narratives.

The concept of the exhibition is to integrate the contemporary female positions directly into the existing exhibition. This creates new perspectives and visual axes for visitors, allowing for an expanded view of the interplay between textiles and the body. These changes create a dynamic dialogue between the artworks and encourage reflection on historical and contemporary representations of the female nude.

In this way, the exhibition opens up an expanded discourse on the female body and textiles as an artistic medium. It invites visitors to question conventional notions, to rethink the role of textiles in representing the feminine, and to look beyond the boundaries of protection, adornment, and objectification.

On view at Villa Schöningen from May 18 to September 7, 2025, the exhibition presents over 45 works that engage in a contemporary dialogue with the historical subject. It will not only focus on the female nude and textiles, but also create a space in which questions of power, visibility, and self-determination can unfold.