Curated Monthly: Top October art picks for Leipzig

The autumn air is upon us and the sunny hours are dwindling. October is the month to trade in the last lakeside picnics for the warmth of a museum or wine-filled art openings to distract from the darkening days. With most of Leipzig’s commercial galleries having opened shows at the beginning of September, we must wait until the end of the month for their next exhibitions. This gives us an exciting October filled with more artist-run initiatives that always offer a true insight into what is being created in the city.

After launching our first curated list of art events in the city last month, here’s where we’ll be heading this October:

Lindenow Festival

Lindenau, Plagwitz, Leutzsch
Friday the 4th to Sunday the 6th

Every year since 2012 the art spaces and studios in Lindenau and its neighbouring Plagwitz and Leutzsch join forces to present a weekend of creation. Exhibitions, concerts, performances, and open studios will be hidden in every street corner. The events are free and you can pick up a map from Georg-Schwarz-Straße 8 to guide you through everything. We’ve selected some of the shows we’ll be heading to first.

(De)Materialize

Kunstraum Ortloff
Jahnallee 73

Site-specific works have been developed by artists Timo Herbst and Esteban Sánchez in the project room. The presentation looks to deal with physicality, landscape, and the public space.

Beyond Forms

S1 Vinyl & Kaffee
Sattelhofstraße 1

Artist Mazen Khaddaj will be exhibiting a series of paintings at the cafe. His video and installation works have recently been shown as a solo presentation at MdbK and will be included in the group exhibition at the Grassi Museum later in the month.

The perfect opportunity to experience the artist’s painterly reflections whilst taking a much-needed coffee as you tour the rest of the festival.

Hou Hou!

Etcetera
Demmeringstraße 58

The design studio is expanding to open a new exhibition space. To inaugurate the space, they will present risographs and sculptures from Leipzig-based artists. There will also be a comic book reading by artist Nicolas Dupont on Saturday the 5th from 18:00.

Are We There Yet?

Links Neben Der Tanke
Lütznerstraße 7

The Lindenau pub will be brightened by the works of Andrea Garcia Vasquez. The artist explores the notion of place and the acts of getting there through mixed media technique that combines painting, textiles, and printmaking. After your art tour, coffee and then more art, it’s the spot to seek out the much deserved afternoon beer!

Lindenau, Plagwitz, and Leutzsch will be hotspots for art events this October but there is also much more going on throughout the city…

Re:Orient – Die Erfindung des muslimischen Anderen

Grassi Museum
Johannisplatz 5-11
16.09.2019 – 19.01.2020

The exhibition brings together voices of international and local artists who are exploring the concept of Otherness in their work. By breaking down the differences that have emerged between the “East” and “West,” the exhibition looks to challenge stereotypes and reorient the viewer’s perceptions away from categorization.

Kino in Bewegung: Station Leipzig

HGB Galerie
Wächterstraße 11
Wednesday the 2nd, 7 pm

“Cinema on the Move” is a project from students at the HGB. This session will be screening three films by Jürgen Böttcher. The artist and filmmaker was active during the GDR and his films capture the frustrations and humour of creatives of the time – both conformity and dissident. Look at the full programme on the HGB website as the project will be running several other screenings as part of the Mdbk show Point of No Return and workshops throughout the month.

Double Feature

G2
Dittrichring 13
11.09.2019 – 12.01.2020

The exhibition pairs the work of German artists Claudia Wieser and Jochen Plogsties. Wieser’s ceramic installations and Plogsties’s paintings both give a nod to Bauhaus aesthetics. As we are in the last months of celebrating 100 years since the Bauhaus, this exhibition is a chance to see how the movement continues to influence artists today.

Von verlorenen Illusionen

Krudebude
Stannebeinplatz 13
Saturday the 26th, 7 pm

“Of Lost Illusions” is a reading night held in memory of the GDR writer Brigitte Reimann. Actress Elisa Ueberschär has traveled to communities around East Germany, which formed important stages in the life of the author. The night looks to encourage discussion and pose questions, including how and in what way there is still discussion about life in the GDR.

Croatian Association of Artists’ Open Studio

Hafenkombinat
Plautstraße 27
Friday the 25th, 7 pm

HDLU is the largest art association in Croatia. For over one year they have created a residency programme in Leipzig’s Hafenkombinat studio. Every month and a half, a new group of artists live and work in the building and invite the city to their open studio at the end of their stay. This round’s presentation will be by artists Nikica Jurković and Josipa Krolo.

We shall leave you with a city tip to make planning your art events easier.

For those who don’t know, the first Wednesday of every month is FREE to visit many of the museums in Leipzig, and the spaces GfzK and Halle 14 even offer this treat EVERY Wednesday. You can check our Free Museum Days page for an overview of all participating museums. This month’s free museum day falls on October the 2nd, so hop on your bike and don’t worry about leaving your wallet at home.