Kassel celebrates 70 years of documenta: 7,000 palm trees bloom in the Fridericianum!

Kassel celebrates 70 years of documenta: 7,000 palm trees bloom in the Fridericianum!

This year, Kassel will be the setting for an impressive art project that not only inspires the local population, but also excites the art world. On the occasion of the 70th anniversary of documenta, the renowned artist Cosima von Bonin presents her project “7000 Palms” in the Fridericianum. This artistic intervention will be ceremoniously opened on Saturday, June 7, 2025, as hessenschau.de reports.

The central element of the project is bunting, which is designed in the shape of palm tree silhouettes. The population is encouraged to use these to beautify their city. Pennant chains can be picked up free of charge at the Fridericianum from the opening day. But that's not all: the project is accompanied by a colorful program of creative workshops, actions, performances and concerts, all of which are intended to promote exchange and participation of citizens in urban spaces, as documenta.de emphasizes.

Opening festivities

The opening ceremony starts at 3 p.m. with a family festival that has something to offer for every age group. From creative workshops to guided exhibitions to culinary delights, there is something for every taste. Especially for the children, there is the “Red Beet” play truck, which is sure to bring joy to the little visitors and keep them busy from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.

A special highlight of the day will be the live performance by the Volkswagen Soundorchestra, which starts at 3:30 p.m. The program also invites you to guided exhibitions, which families can take part in between 3:30 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. A walk to the 7,000 palm trees is also planned because the artist wants to create a direct connection to the city and its population.

A look at the ceremony

The official ceremony for the 70th anniversary of documenta begins at 6 p.m. Here those present welcome Prof. Dr. Andreas Hoffmann as well as Sven Schoeller and Timon Gremmels. An exciting panel discussion will shed light on the past, present and future of documenta, moderated by Saskia Trebing. In addition to these discussions, the Hypho can look forward to a get-together in the Fridericianum, which will create an exuberant atmosphere with a drag performance and music.

Cosima von Bonin, who was born in Mombasa in 1962 and now lives in Cologne, has already taken part in important international exhibitions such as documenta 12 in 2007 and the Venice Biennale in 2022. With “7000 Palms” she wants to encourage visitors to think about creativity and community and create festive moments in the city. The artistic intervention aims to actively involve the people of Kassel in the design of their urban space, which will certainly be an unforgettable experience for those involved.

A festival of art, community and joy - be there when Kassel welcomes the 7000 palm trees!