
Vor genau 35 Jahren, am 1. Dezember 1990, eröffnete die erste Ausstellung des Kästrich, dem von Daniela Kieß und Harald Kubiczak in Mainz gegründeten unabhängigen Forum für Kunst. Bis Herbst 1991 fanden acht Ausstellungen statt. Nach Umzug in andere Räumlichkeiten im selben Stadtteil, konnte der Kästrich ab Herbst 1992 sein Programm fortsetzen. Bis 1999 wurden weitere 20 Ausstellungen, sowie Konzerte und Performances realisiert. Das Programm des Kästrich war vor allem auf Klangkunst und Arbeiten mit Raumbezug ausgerichtet. Die Aktivitäten erhielten keine öffentliche oder private Förderung und die ausgestellte Kunst stand nicht zum Verkauf. Mehr als 70 Künstlerinnen und Künstler waren am Programm zwischen 1990 und 1999 beteiligt.
Box zum 35-jährigen Kästrich-Jubiläum
• Buch „Kästrich – Ein unabhängiges Forum für Kunst“ (208 S., 2009)
• Buch/CD „Sound Art at Kästrich – Recordings 1991–1999“ (CD 01:19:19; 80 S., 2022)
• Sammlung von 16 original Kästrich-Karten (DIN A6, 1992–1999)
Jubiläums-Offerte: 19 Euro inkl. Versand*
Bestellen: contact@circuit-art.org
* Innerhalb DE: 19 Euro; EU: 23 Euro; CH: 25 Euro; USA: 32 Euro; Aktionszeitraum 01.12.2025 bis 15.01.2026. Rückgabe/Umtausch ausgeschlossen.
Exactly 35 years ago, on December 1, 1990, the first exhibition opened at Kästrich—the independent forum for art founded by Daniela Kieß and Harald Kubiczak in Mainz. Eight exhibitions were presented at this location until fall of 1991. After moving to another space in the same part of town, Kästrich was reopening in the fall of 1992 and continued its program with further 20 exhibitions, as well as concerts and performances until 1999. The program of Kästrich was mostly focussed on sound art and site specific works. The activities did not receive public or private funding, and art was never on sale there. More than 70 artists were involved in the program between 1990 and 1999.
Box for the 35th Kästrich anniversary
• Book ”Kästrich – An Independent Forum for Art“ (208 pages, 2009)
• Book/CD ”Sound Art at Kästrich – Recordings 1991–1999“ (CD 01:19:19; 80 pages, 2022)
• Collection of 16 original Kästrich cards (DIN A6, 1992–1999)
Anniversary offer: 19 Euros including shipment*
Order: contact@circuit-art.org
* Inside GER: 19 Euros; EU: 23 Euros; CH: 25 Euros; USA: 32 Euros; this offer is valid within the period Dec 1, 2025 until Jan 15, 2026. No return, no exchange.
Kästrich – Mainz 1990–1999
Unter dem Titel observation publizierte der Kästrich 1992/93 zwölf Ausgaben mit Beiträgen von Künstlerinnen und Künstlern.
Am Programm des Kästrich waren mehr als 70 Künstlerinnen und Künstler beteiligt: u.a. Jacoba Bedaux, Jens Brand, Ad van Buuren, Bruce Checefsky, Michael Delia, Johan Goedhart, Thomas Hannibal, Mona Higuchi, Jerry Hunt, Daniela Kieß, Harald Kubiczak, Rolf Langebartels, Richard Lerman, Ronald Medema, Deborah Monroe, Phill Niblock, Paul van den Nieuwenhof, Jürgen O. Olbrich, Ed Osborn, Paul Panhuysen, Nico Parlevliet, Roland Siegrist, Anke Schulte-Steinberg, Dan Senn, Relly Tarlo.
Während seines Bestehens erhielt der Kästrich keinerlei öffentliche oder private Förderungen. Der Kästrich stand in regem Austausch mit anderen Institutionen und Initiativen wie Het Apollohuis (Eindhoven) und Experimental Intermedia Foundation (New York und Gent), was die Grundlage war für viele realisierte Ausstellungen.
In 1992/93, Kästrich published 12 editions of a monthly artists' magazine called observation.
Within the program of Kästrich more than 70 artists were participating, among them Jacoba Bedaux, Jens Brand, Ad van Buuren, Bruce Checefsky, Michael Delia, Johan Goedhart, Thomas Hannibal, Mona Higuchi, Jerry Hunt, Daniela Kieß, Harald Kubiczak, Rolf Langebartels, Richard Lerman, Ronald Medema, Deborah Monroe, Phill Niblock, Paul van den Nieuwenhof, Jürgen O. Olbrich, Ed Osborn, Paul Panhuysen, Nico Parlevliet, Roland Siegrist, Anke Schulte-Steinberg, Dan Senn, Relly Tarlo.
Throughout its existence, Kästrich did not receive public or private funding to realize the program. Kästrich kept constant exchange with other institutions and initiatives such as Het Apollohuis (Eindhoven) and Experimental Intermedia Foundation (New York and Gent) which was the basis of many exhibitions being realized..
Rolf Langebartels
Fallen
09.04.–17.05.1999
Five sound sculptures with suspended ceramic bowls dropping on circular metal plates. Small motors are winding the bowls upwards to repeat the process. Interruptions are caused by the sounds of the single sculptures or loud sounds from the surrounding.

Dan Senn
Now and Then
18.09.–07.11.1998
Pendulum-based instruments (Tooned Penduling, Simple Pendulyre) and a site-specific installation of a Canopy Lyre. Special audio CDs with frequencies below listening trigger loudspeakers, equipped with nylon threads and small wooden hammers, hitting steel strings. Additional audible sound signals on the CDs can be heard in the surrounding of the instruments.

Ad van Buuren
Change Machine
20.03.–09.05.1998
Sound sculpture of components of telephone switch boards as timers and relays in two segments (1st with 15 timers and 142 relays directing the 2nd segment with nine relays and nine small hammers and bells)—all parts interconnected with a system of wires; constantly and randomly changing sound structure and rhythm.

Jacoba Bedaux & Relly Tarlo
Soundcarpet
31.10.1997–05.01.1998
Two parted sound installation to be walked on. Iron frame constructions with different segments, filled with diverse materials. Front room: pistachio shells, quartz debris and small wooden sticks. 2nd room: flattened drinking cans, broken glass and mirror, straws, plastic bags filled with dry leafs.
Michael Delia
Recyclephonic Musings
25.01.–08.03.1997
Sound sculpture constructed of thrown away everyday objects. An oscillating electric fan is constantly blowing air towards the objects, their movement causes them to hit each other producing gentle percussive sounds.

Paul van den Nieuwenhof
Langzame Sculpturen
07.12.1996–18.01.1997
Kinetic sculpture with stripes of heavy soft paper attached around a mobile ring structure. From above tinted water is constantly dripping on one point of the paper, which eventually is disturbing the equilibrium of the construction which causes an abrupt and fast rotation of the ring structure.

Ed Osborn
Wish You Were Here
07.09.–05.10.1996
Twelve loudspeakers attached to the walls, connected to a number of portable audiotape players that play fragmented sounds and noises resulting in a changing spacial net of sound sources and sound properties.

Thomas Hannibal
Raum – Thomas Hannibal
04.05.–15.06.1996
Six small paintings on different positions in both rooms, exploring relationships of image, space and viewer.

Anke Schulte-Steinberg
Situationsgebunden
25.11.1995–13.01.1996
Two shadow machines using mechanical parts of car wipers, steel and small light bulbs drawing slowly moving shapes of light and shadow on walls, ceiling and floor.
More on Anke Schulte-Steinberg …

Jens Brand
Kästrich möbliert
20.05.–01.07.1995
Installation of a drawing with bedroom closet placed in front. 2nd room: installation of a living room closet with glass cabinet and glass shelfs with glass objects; a loudspeaker with frequencies beyond hearing causes the objects to vibrate with varying sound of shaking glass.

Ronald Medema
Open Mind
28.01.–04.03.1995
Chicken Paintings: three canvases that had been placed in chicken cases for some time. Two chairs made from found pieces of wood are placed in front.

Daniela Kieß
Sphinx im System der Zeichen
19.03.–23.04.1994
18 small square paintings of dense texture of layers of color installed at different positions on the walls. 2nd room: four photographs taken in Russia by Kieß’ grandfather during World War II., reproduced as blow-ups and dyed with layers of transparent ink.

Bruce Checefsky
Photograms
27.11.1993–15.01.1994
Large scale photograms of a great number of found objects, that were placed directly on photo paper and exposed with multiple soft flash lights.

Mona Higuchi & Richard Lerman
Night of the Broken Glass
10.10.–13.11.1993
Two-parted installation of about 3000 small right angular pieces of glass, suspended from segments of the ceiling with nylon threads. Small electric fans blow a flow of air, causing the glass to constantly move; sound of the glasses hitting can be heard.

Phill Niblock
Sumatra for Kästrich / Wall Hangings
05.06.–17.07.1993
Screening of the film Sumatra, taken in pastoral environments, showing everyday work as a weaving mill or a forge.

Nico Parlevliet
Eating Potatoes
13.03.–17.04.1993
Sound sculpture in an iron construction with metal table-like surface with three forks sliding, driven by the mechanics of a wind shield wiper. Water is poured from a small hose into a bowl and bucket below.

Harald Kubiczak
Tremolo
13.03.–17.04.1993
Sound sculpture with six mouth harps of different tuning and type mounted on electric blowers.

Paul Panhuysen
Mechanical Long String Guitars
19.12.1992–30.01.1993
Installation of six electric guitars, on the ceiling. Long steel strings attached to the strings of each guitar and stretched to six points below the window. Six fast turning electric motors equipped with wire plectrums are hitting the strings. Amplification via guitar amps.

Jerry Hunt
Surface (room) : ()
20.09.–07.11.1992
Installation of a square frame with 5x5 square grid on the ceiling with various arte facts and tiny bells suspended. Electric fans on the floor cause the objects to move slowly. Microphones are hanging inside the installation, low amplification of the acoustic sounds.

Paul Panhuysen
Requiem for an Unknown Soldier
08.–29.06.1991
Sound installation of four portable organs that were used by the French army in World War II, driven by electric motors. Tuning of the organs is determined on calculation formulas, one is playing four notes simultaneously and continuously, three are are playing four different notes simultaneously with short intermissions. Timer is performing in cycles of two minutes.

Johan Goedhart
Gelb, Blau, Rot und Grün
06.04.–27.04.1991
Sound sculpture with electric magnets attached to the bottom of four identical metal cans.

Roland Siegrist
15.–30.1.91
02.02.–02.03.1991
15 black and white silk screen prints on paper, printed between Jan 15 and 30, 1991, the days of the 1st gulf war – each day one print was made.

Harald Kubiczak
Bücherwand
01.–29.12.1990
Installation of about 3,600 books of a former loan library of the nineteen-fifties.

