Charles Ray, first German institutional solo at Fridericianum Kassel
Published on 08/31/2026 at 11:39 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Charles Ray returns to Kassel with his first institutional solo exhibition in Germany at the Fridericianum. As the museum’s exhibition page states, the show Charles Ray runs from August 22, 2026 to January 3, 2027, following an opening on August 21, 2026. Fridericianum exhibition announcement
The exhibition at Fridericianum
The Fridericianum in Kassel presents Charles Ray as a comprehensive survey of the sculptor’s practice across more than three decades. The institution highlights that this is Ray’s first institutional solo show in Germany, situated in the same building where he showed at documenta 9 in 1992. e-flux exhibition text
Running from August 22, 2026 to January 3, 2027, the exhibition occupies central galleries and the Rotunda, with regular opening hours from Tuesday to Sunday and extended hours on Thursdays, according to the Fridericianum’s announcement. The museum underlines the show’s focus on sculpture as a discipline that engages space, mass and social reality.
Monday focus on exhibitions
In the main gallery, Ray’s key sculpture Aluminum Girl (2003) anchors the exhibition as his first mature figurative work, paired with School Play (2014), a larger-than-life stainless-steel figure installed in the Rotunda. The curatorial team emphasizes how these works examine transitions of adolescence and the interplay of natural and stylized form.
The show also revisits Oh! Charley, Charley, Charley… (1992), the group sculpture Ray first created for documenta 9, juxtaposed with later works such as Return to the One (2020) and Clothes Pile (2020), which probe introspection and abstraction through figurative forms. Newer pieces including Bull (2026), Flounder (2021) and Mountain Lion Attacking a Dog (2018) debut in the very hall Ray used in 1992.
All news and background on Charles Ray
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The sculptural position
Ray, born in Chicago in 1953 and based in Los Angeles since 1981, has developed a sculptural practice that ranges from lightweight pieces to works approaching twenty tons, always insisting that sculpture must be made of space when embedded in space. The Fridericianum stresses this conceptual focus on mass, structure and installation.
Across his oeuvre, Ray engages art history and contemporary life alike, from display mannequins and figurative bodies to animals and religious iconography. Works such as Boy with Frog (2009) and Madonna and Child (2026) articulate tensions between curiosity, science and Christian imagery, positioning his practice between classical references and present-day concerns.
Where Charles Ray stands now
Charles Ray is currently on view with Charles Ray at the Fridericianum in Kassel, Germany, running from August 22, 2026 to January 3, 2027.
Key facts on Charles Ray
- Artist: Charles Ray
- Medium / Genre: Sculpture (conceptual figurative)
- Born: 1953, Chicago, United States
- Place(s) of practice: Studio in Los Angeles
- Active since: late 1970s, with wider recognition from the 1980s
- Key work groups: Oh! Charley, Charley, Charley…, Aluminum Girl, Boy with Frog, Madonna and Child
- Current/last exhibition: Charles Ray, Fridericianum, Kassel, August 22, 2026 – January 3, 2027
- Major collections: MoMA (New York), Art Institute of Chicago, Whitney Museum of American Art (New York), Tate (London)
- Awards: Louis Comfort Tiffany Foundation Award (1989), Guggenheim Fellowship (1989)
- Next date: August 22, 2026 – January 3, 2027, exhibition Charles Ray at Fridericianum Kassel
Frequently asked questions about Charles Ray
Where is Charles Ray currently on view?
Charles Ray is currently on view at the Fridericianum in Kassel with his first institutional solo exhibition in Germany, titled Charles Ray, running from August 22, 2026 to January 3, 2027.
Which key works are included in the Fridericianum exhibition?
The exhibition features major sculptures such as Oh! Charley, Charley, Charley… (1992), Aluminum Girl (2003), School Play (2014), Boy with Frog (2009) and the recent Madonna and Child (2026), alongside new works like Bull (2026).
Why is the Kassel show significant in Charles Ray’s career?
The Kassel show marks Ray’s first institutional solo exhibition in Germany and returns his work to the Fridericianum, where his figurative breakthrough Oh! Charley, Charley, Charley… first appeared during documenta 9 in 1992, linking past and present strands of his practice.
This article was produced with a.i. support and editorially reviewed. All statements without guarantee; auction results, exhibition dates and awards may change at short notice.
