Open Call for “Worldly Companions”, the tour guides of dOCUMENTA (13)
dOCUMENTA (13) is looking for people who want to guide visitors through the exhibition over the course of 100 days in summer 2012. Our intent is that the people from – or particularly interested in – Kassel might become the guides to the exhibition, partners to the visitors, and the first interpreters of the artworks in the exhibition. These guides are called “Wordly Companions” and will be trained for their tasks.
A fundamental part of every documenta is experiencing the exhibition through the visit, and the fact that it takes place in the city of Kassel. Thus we would like to put together a team of 100 people who will work during 100 days in the summer of 2012 accompanying visitors from Germany and all over the world; guiding them through the exhibition and offering the visitors different perspectives on it.
dOCUMENTA (13) is interested in people capable of engaging with the project, learning about it and questioning its diverse aspects and meanings. We are looking for individuals who have an interest in documenta and in the particular experience of the city of Kassel that documenta provides for its visitors and inhabitants. We are looking for those who are willing to share and to mediate knowledge to the documenta visitors, to spend time with them, and to show them things beyond the exhibition. All those who have skills in relating to groups of people, experience in communicating complex subjects, and the will to be exposed to ideas, new experiences, artworks, and most important of all, to artists, please apply. We are looking forward to working with people with a generous view on human interaction today; those who are able to work in team, to listen, to tell, and who would consider this as an opportunity to relate to documenta and to the city of Kassel, as the place that hosts what is regarded as the most important event in contemporary art.
We are looking for people who are interested in contemporary art even if their expertise is in another field. In fact, we would like to gain from different fields of knowledge, methods and approaches, such as bio-agriculture, philosophy, social sciences or physics. The team of “Wordly Companions” will add new and diverse points of view to the activities of dOCUMENTA (13).
Requirements
Please submit a application no greater than 1000 words in length.
We only accept applications printed on paper (no CDs, discs, emails or other digital formats please).
The application may be submitted in either German or English.
English language skills are an advantage. Other language skills are also relevant.
No academic requirement is necessary.
The application should contain:
1. Your motivation and written biography: Why do you want to work during the 100 days of dOCUMENTA (13) talking about art to those who are coming to Kassel? Explain in your own words what have you done professionally; a text that explains your experience with working with others (500 words).
2. A short text about your affiliation with Kassel: Describe what the city represents for you in your own terms, both positive and negative aspects; a personal description of your notion of the city (500 words).
3. A series of pictures that you consider relevant to your application. It can be personal material or material that you find interesting (no more than 5, no explanation needed).
Application deadline: November 15, 2011
Exhibition dates: June 9 to September 16, 2012
The choices of candidates will be made in the second week of December.
These successful applicants will participate in a comprehensive training workshop.
Honorarium paid per hour, 2 hours per tour, flexible hours during the daytime, weekdays and weekends.
Contact:
documenta und Museum Fridericianum Veranstaltungs-GmbH
Friedrichsplatz 18, 34117 Kassel
maybeeducation@documenta.de, Tel. +49 561 70 72 741
www.documenta.de