Kunst im Tunnel

Kunst im Tunnel, commonly known as KIT, is a contemporary art museum in Düsseldorf, Germany. Opened on 10 February 2007, it serves as the new exhibition space of Kunsthalle Düsseldorf and occupies a distinctive underground location within the Rheinufertunnel. With an exhibition area of 850 square metres, KIT has become a notable venue for presenting contemporary art in the city, particularly works by young artists and graduates of the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf.

Kunst im Tunnel was inaugurated on 10 February 2007, with its operation and exhibition organisation entrusted to Kunsthalle Düsseldorf. The museum's artistic director is Gertrud Peters. The tunnel space itself, however, had an earlier life as an exhibition venue. In 1994, artists Jost Wischnewski and Jan Verbeek first used this tunnel remainder space for elaborate installations under the title LOS 2. The establishment of KIT followed the 2005 creation of the Akademie-Galerie in the rooms of the former Kunstgewerbeschule at Burgplatz, which provided exhibition space for professors of the Kunstakademie. KIT was conceived to complement Düsseldorf's exhibition landscape more broadly, with a planned programme of four exhibitions per year.

Kunst im Tunnel is dedicated to exhibitions of contemporary art, with a specific focus on complementing Düsseldorf's existing exhibition landscape. The venue primarily shows works by young artists, graduates of the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf, and recipients of the Düsseldorf Art Prize. This programming deliberately targets emerging talent and connects the museum to the city's renowned art academy tradition. The curatorial approach, led by Gertrud Peters, emphasises fresh perspectives and positions within contemporary practice.

As a kunsthalle-style exhibition space rather than a collection-based museum, Kunst im Tunnel does not maintain permanent holdings. Instead, it presents temporary exhibitions. Selected recent exhibitions include: 2023 RAW featuring Ulrike Kazmaier, Dylan Paquet, Sabrina Podemski, Johannes Raimann, Moritz Riesenbeck; 2021/2022 Stipendium Vordemberge-Gildewart 2021 with Eliza Ballesteros, Paul Czerlitzki, Nicholas Grafia and Mikołaj Sobczak, Frieder Haller, Alesha Klein, Björn Knapp, Harkeerat Mangat, Mira Mann, Donja Nasseri, Murat Önen, Linda Skellington and Ji hyung Song, curated by Gertrud Peters with co-curator Nantje Wilke; 2021 desto weiß ich doom zu sein. Junge Kunst aus Münster with Sujin Bae, Ilsuk Lee, Valentino Magnolo, Irina Martyshkova and Yoana Tuzharova, curated by Gertrud Peters; 2021 Silke Schönfeld. Über alles vernünftige Maß hinaus, curated by Gertrud Peters; 2020/2021 Olymp with Matthias Lars Anders, Matthias Danberg, Kirill Ivlev, Peter Karpinski, Jörg Michael Kratz, Henrik Löpmeier, Eva Sofie Lonken, Isabel Schober, Michelle Tophinke, Yasin Wörheide, Marvin Wunderlich, curated by Michael Ofen; and 2020 Yann Annicchiarico: Diener zweier Herren, Céline Offermans.

Kunst im Tunnel occupies a so-called tunnel remainder space two metres below the Rheinuferpromenade, created during the construction of the Rheinufertunnel. The exhibition space lies between the two tunnel tubes for vehicular traffic, near the Landtag and the Rheinkniebrücke. The underground exhibition area measures 888 square metres. The slightly curved tunnel space is 140 metres long and tapers from eight metres to one metre in width. Two light shafts with armoured glass provide natural light from above. A newly constructed entrance pavilion on the Rheinuferpromenade, designed by the Düsseldorf architecture firm Fritschi Architekten, which also designed the 1995 Rheinuferpromenade, provides access. The 130 square metre pavilion is glazed towards the Rhine and contains a small bistro. A staircase and disabled access lift lead down to the exhibition area.

Kunst im Tunnel is located in Düsseldorf, Germany, with its entrance on the Rheinuferpromenade near the Landtag and Rheinkniebrücke. The museum is operated by Kunsthalle Düsseldorf and maintains a website at http://www.kunst-im-tunnel.de. The entrance pavilion includes a small bistro, and the venue is equipped with disabled access via lift.