Sören Schmeling works as a lecturer, publicist, and curator at the intersections of art and media theory, politics, and society. Since 2018, he has been a lecturer in theory and history of illustration at the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts – Design Film Art. Previously, he held teaching positions at the art history institutes of the Universities of Freiburg (2011/12) and Zurich (2017) and was a guest lecturer within the IDA modules (2017/18) at the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts – Design Film Art and the Pedagogical Center Basel (2010–12). He studied art history, German language and literature, and business administration at the Universities of Freiburg i. Br. and Basel. As the initiator and director of the photo archive at the Kunsthalle Basel (2011-2020), he promoted the preservation of visual cultural assets and advocated for their analog and digital accessibility. This is also a major focus of his exhibition activities. Current research interests: artistic-political activism (dissertation: Gustav Metzger – The Artist as an Activist), perception of nature in art(-) and (natural) science.
Teaching:
Guest lecturer at Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts – Design Film Art in the IDA module facts and fiction (BA), spring semester 2017/18
University lecturer at the Art History Seminar of the University of Zurich: All these archives (BA/MA) followed by a student research and exhibition project, spring semester 2017
University lecturer at the Art History Seminar of the University of Fribourg: Gustav Metzger – inventor of auto-destructive art (BA) followed by a student research project, publication, and exhibition, WS 2011/2012
Lecturer at the Pedagogical Center in Basel: Teacher training on contemporary art for exhibitions at the Kunsthalle Basel, 2010–2012
Other professional activities:
Head of the photo archive at the Kunsthalle Basel, initiator and project manager for its preservation and analog and digital accessibility (2011–2020) and research assistant (2007–2020)
Journalist and art critic (Badische Zeitung 1998–2013, art magazine artline, 2007–2016 Editor-in-chief of the political regional magazine kontra der Jusos Baden-Württemberg 2000–2002)
Publications:
Monograph:
Gustav Metzger. Years without Art. modo Verlag, Freiburg 2012.
Specialist articles and catalog entries (selection):
From Darkness to Light. Hans Witzig, Der Nachtschratt ging um. In: From the Land of Milk and Honey to the Dance of Death. The Zurich illustrator and art teacher Hans Witzig. Anna Lehninger (ed.), Mitteilungen der Antiquarischen Gesellschaft Zürich, Volume 90, New Year's Edition No. 187, Zurich: Chronos, to be published in spring 2023.
Watermarks are visible against the light. In: Dirk Sommer. La Vita Vera. Edition Minerva. Friedberg 2022.
Exhibition history as a matter of opinion – The photo archive of the Kunsthalle Basel. In: Rundbrief für Fotografie. (Ed.) German Documentation Center for Art History –
Bildarchiv Foto Marburg, Prof. Dr. Hubert Locher and Dr. Christian Bracht et al., Verlag Dr. Wolfgang Seidel, Stuttgart, Vol. 26, No. 3, 2019.
What’s left when the show is over? – The Photo Archive of the Kunsthalle Basel. In: Transbordeur: Photographie Histoire Société, Verlag Macula, Geneva, Lausanne 2018.
Gustav Metzger. A model – a museum for today and for the future. In: The Anti-Museum, Fri Art, Kunsthalle Fribourg, Fri Art and Koenig Books, London 2016.
Gustav Metzger: Art History With A Gun. In: Exhibition catalog: We must become idealists or die. Gustav Metzger. Museo Jumex, Mexico City 2015.
Marco Schuler. Luftsprünge gegen den freien Fall (Jumping Against Free Fall). RAL-Verlag, Freiburg 2010. c
Vorträge (Auswahl):
Visuelle Sprungbretter. Einführungsrede zur Ausstellung Dirk Sommer – La Vita Vera, 23.07. – 19.08.2022. Sale Monumentali della Biblioteca Nationale Marciana, Vendig 22.07.2022.
Performancekunst in Sammlungen und Museen – Kriterien, Strategien, Perspektiven. PANCH, Performance Art Network CH, Denkpool II/V Archive des Ephemeren und Policies, Schweizerisches Institut für Kunstwissenschaft (SIK-ISEA), Zürich 25.05.2018.
Out of the Box: Archiv, Kunst und Wissenschaft vernetzen. – Einblicke in die Kooperation zwischen dem Fotoarchiv der Kunsthalle Basel, dem Digital Humanities Lab und der Databases and Information Systems Group der Universität Basel. Mit Prof. Dr. Lukas Rosenthaler, Prof. Dr. Heiko Schuldt, Ringvorlesung: Wissen schaffen: Forschung und Museum / Forschung im Museum. Universität Basel 09.04.2018.
archive – activism. Gustav Metzger. West, Den Haag 26.01.2018.
Gustav Metzger. Art History with a Gun. Kunsthall / Kunstnernes Hus, Oslo 22.11.2015.
The Open Museum – the City. A Review. In: When Attitudes Escape Form. Revolver Verlag, Frankfurt am Main 2004.
Lectures (selection):
Visual Springboards. Introductory speech for the exhibition Dirk Sommer – La Vita Vera, July 23 – August 19, 2022. Sale Monumentali della Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana, Venice, July 22, 2022.
Performance Art in Collections and Museums – Criteria, Strategies, Perspectives. PANCH, Performance Art Network CH, Denkpool II/V Archive of the Ephemeral and Policies, Swiss Institute for Art Research (SIK-ISEA), Zurich, May 25, 2018.
Out of the Box: Connecting Archives, Art, and Science. Insights into the cooperation between the Fotoarchiv der Kunsthalle Basel, the Digital Humanities Lab, and the Databases and Information Systems Group at the University of Basel. With Prof. Dr. Lukas Rosenthaler, Prof. Dr. Heiko Schuldt, Lecture series: Creating Knowledge: Research and Museums / Research in Museums. University of Basel, April 9, 2018.
archive – activism. Gustav Metzger. West, The Hague, January 26, 2018.
Gustav Metzger. Art History with a Gun. Kunsthall / Kunstnernes Hus, Oslo, November 22, 2015.
Symposia:
Camille Graeser Lectures 2019: Exhibition and Archive Stories. International symposium on the exhibition history of the Kunsthalle Basel based on the holdings of the Kunsthalle Basel photo archive. With: Bruce Altschuler, Nora Fiechter, Elena Filipovic, Roman Kurzmeyer, Adam Szymczyk, Felix Thürlemann, Kunsthalle Basel, November 9, 2019.
Symposien:
Camille Graeser Lectures 2019: Ausstellungs- und Archivgeschichten. Internationales Symposium zur Ausstellungsgeschichte der Kunsthalle Basel basierend auf den Beständen des Fotoarchivs der Kunsthalle Basel. Mit: Bruce Altschuler, Nora Fiechter, Elena Filipovic, Roman Kurzmeyer, Adam Szymczyk, Felix Thürlemann, Kunsthalle Basel 09.11.2019.
Exhibitions (selection):
Exposed Exhibitions – Photo Archive of the Kunsthalle Basel. With Cécile Hummel, Esther Hunziker, Doris Lasch, Astrid Seme, Raoul Müller, and Werner von Mutzenbecher. Kunsthalle Basel, September 22–November 12, 2017.
50 Years of the Basel Studio Cooperative. Kunsthalle Basel, November 28, 2014–January 18, 2015.
Gustav Metzger – Years without Art. Morat Institute for Art and Art History, Freiburg, April 13–June 8, 2013.
passiv – explosiv, revisited (Cordula Frowein, Gustav Metzger, Klaus Staeck). T66 Kulturwerk, Freiburg, July 29–September 2, 2012.
Fabian Chiquet / Silvi Simon. With a film program featuring Esther Hunziker, Hubbart / Birchler, Arnold v. Wedemeyer, and Werner von Mutzenbecher. An exhibition project by Casimir-Effekt (together with Samuel Dangel), Kommunales Kino Freiburg, September 3–19, 2010.
Regionale10 Kunsthaus L6, (together with Samuel Dangel), Freiburg, November 27, 2009–January 3, 2010.