Manfred Schneckenburger

Manfred Schneckenburger was born 1 December 1938 in Stuttgart, Germany.

Schneckenburger studied German literature, history, and the history of art. He first worked as a school teacher for some years and later as an art critic.[1] In 1972, he organized the cultural program for the Olympic Games in Munich.[2][3] From 1973 to 1974, he was the director of the Kunsthalle Cologne.[4][5]

As an artistic director, Schneckenburger curated the documenta in Kassel twice, in 1977 and 1987.[6][7][8][9][10] In curating the documenta 6, he "decided to review definitions of media. Unlike in the past, we thought in terms of media, not in terms of genres," Schneckenburger said. "Photography was not yet considered art, and neither was video, which was commonly confused with television. Visitors to documenta 6 could view these media in all their artistic potential, emancipated and on an equal footing. We even examined books as a medium. This was a totally different approach, reviewed and brought up to date for 1977."[11] In 1987, documenta 8 did not perform such a review. "Instead, we tried to use a new social engagement in art as our selection criteria. Usable art, social design, whatever addressed itself to people and expanded the social dimension was to be our yardstick. Hence the subtitle, 'The Social Dimension of Art'."[12]

According to Richard Cork, Schneckenburger was of the opinion that " 'In the late '80s' ... there are no new strategies, but rather new combinations', and he has attempted to concentrate on artists who move in their work 'from the individual to the social'."[13]

In 1990, Schneckenburger was appointed "Professor für Kunst und Öffentlichkeit" and in 1995 Rector of the Kunstakademie Münster,[14][15] where his exhibition cycle, "In westfälischen Schlössern" (1992), created a furore[16] and where he retired in 2004.

Manfred Schneckenburger died in the Heart Center of the University of Cologne on 2 December 2019 at the age of 81.[17]