New Exhibition at Goethe University’s Museum Giersch focuses on climate change, global crises, and opportunities for action – Opening on April 5, 2025
How can we influence our future in times of climate change and global crises? What scenarios – what futures – are imaginable? The new exhibition at MGGU – Museum Giersch der Goethe-Universität – creatively connects art, research, and historical objects on topics such as climate change, geoengineering, quantum computing, and decolonial perspectives. For the first time, the exhibition, which runs until August 31, 2025, will also incorporate the museum’s outdoor space – featuring a walk-in ark and greened balconies as visions of future living spaces.
The exhibition covers the following themes:
1. Environmental Crises and Their Causes
The exhibition explores pressing environmental crises, such as biodiversity loss, resource scarcity, and climate change, through artistic and scientific displays. Installations like ARAPOLIS, climate, displacement, gambling (2024) and ARK (2024) by Baltic Raw Org, or Fruits of Labour (2023) by Maximilian Prüfer, illustrate the impact human activity has on nature. Scientists Dr. Nico Wunderling and Prof. Dr. Joachim Curtius discuss the risks of exceeding the 1.5-degree climate goal and potential tipping points in the Earth’s system. Speculative projects like The Seas Are No Longer Dying (2022) by Superflux present sustainable future visions and alternative ways of managing resources.
2. Geoengineering and the Technologization of Climate Change
This section critically examines technological interventions in climate change through geoengineering and warns of unforeseen consequences. Artworks such as Chroniques du Soleil Noir (2023) by Gwenola Wagon and Metakosmia (2024) by Nina Fischer & Maroan el Sani depict dystopian futures where geoengineering makes Earth uninhabitable. Scientists emphasize the need for a global governance model to prevent these risky technologies from being misinterpreted as “solutions” instead of being handled responsibly.
3. Decolonial Perspectives and Activism
This segment focuses on decolonial approaches to climate change, emphasizing the importance of integrating historical injustices into sustainable solutions. Works like Tamizh Futurism (2019) by Adhavan Sundaramurthy and Terra Nova (2019) by Maize Longboat critically examine colonial histories and propose alternative future visions. The role of art as a tool of resistance and a catalyst for collective action in climate justice is also explored.
4. Digital Spaces and Their Interaction with the Physical Environment
This theme examines how digital infrastructures impact the environment, challenging the illusion of an immaterial “cloud”. Projects such as Solar Protocol (2021–2023) by Tega Brain, Benedetta Piantella, Alex Nathanson, and the Solar Protocol Collective showcase solar-powered servers as a sustainable alternative for the digital realm. Jana Hartmann’s Virtual Verdure (2024) reflects on how virtual landscapes shape our perception of nature and ecosystems.
5. Quantum Computing as a Solution to the Climate Crisis?
This section investigates whether quantum computing could contribute to climate crisis solutions, with Prof. Dr. Christoph Burchard discussing the opportunities and risks of algorithmic modeling. Q is for Climate? (2023) by Libby Heaney questions whether quantum computers could enable sustainable future systems. Scientist Manpreet Jattana sees great potential in research, but emphasizes that a true quantum advantage must be demonstrated through practical applications.
Participating Artists and Scientists:
Samira Akbarian, Jordan Rita Seruya Awori, Baltic Raw Org, Blockadia*Tiefsee, Tega Brain, Christoph Burchard, Joachim Curtius, Petra Döll, Juliane Engel, Nina Fischer & Maroan el Sani, Steven Gonzalez Monserrate, Jana Hartmann, Libby Heaney, Thomas Hickler, Manpreet Jattana, Maize Longboat, Colin Lyons, Maximilian Prüfer, Oliver Ressler, Julia Schubert, Adhavan Sundaramurthy, Superflux, Gwenola Wagon, Joshua Wodak, Nico Wunderling
Opening and Public Vernissage
The exhibition “Fixing Futures” (April 5 – August 31, 2025) will be inaugurated with a public vernissage on Friday, April 4, 2025, at 7:00 PM. The opening speakers include MGGU Director Ina Neddermeyer, Goethe University Vice President Prof. Dr. Viera Pirker, as well as exhibition curator Laura Domes. The museum opens at 6:00 PM; the vernissage is free of charge and does not require registration.
The exhibition is accompanied by an extensive supporting program.
More on the program: www.mggu.de/veranstaltungen
Exhibition details: www.mggu.de/fixing-futures
Press materials: www.mggu.de/presse
Further Information
MGGU – Museum Giersch der Goethe-Universität
Schaumainkai 83, 60596 Frankfurt
Admission: Adults: €7 / Reduced: €5
Free entry for persons under 18 years and school groups
Opening Hours:
Tue, Wed, Fri, Sat, Sun: 10 AM – 6 PM
Thu: 10 AM – 8 PM
