Pascal Hointza and Hannes Hirth are to be awarded the 2026 Kassel Art Prize from the Dr. Wolfgang Zippel Foundation. Carola Ruf is to receive the Doris Krininger Prize. Both awards were announced by the City Council of Kassel, which selected the winners on the recommendation of the Board of Trustees of the Dr. Wolfgang Zippel Foundation. Mayor Sven Schoeller, Chair of the Foundation Board, emphasises the significance of the award winners: “In honouring Pascal Hointza and Hannes Hirth, we are recognising two artists who, within their respective disciplines, develop distinctive contemporary approaches through their unique styles and great artistic openness, thereby addressing key issues of our time.” Carola Ruf, who is to receive the Doris Krininger Prize, exemplifies through her work both outstanding artistic quality and continuity. The works of the two male laureates and the female laureate originate in Kassel yet have an impact far beyond the city’s borders – they highlight the artistic potential that is growing and coming to fruition in this city.”
The Kassel Art Prize, awarded annually by the Dr. Wolfgang Zippel Foundation, carries a prize of 6.000 euros; the Doris Krininger Prize is worth 5.000 euros. In addition, the Foundation awards grants totalling €11.000 to eleven artistic projects across various disciplines by cultural practitioners in Kassel, as well as €5.000 for an art purchase for the Kassel Artothek (Art Library). “The Dr Wolfgang Zippel Foundation supports Kassel’s cultural scene not only through awards, but also, in very concrete terms, through acquisitions and the funding of artistic projects that make new works possible in the first place. In doing so, it creates a stable environment in which art in Kassel can be created, showcased and continue to have an impact. This ongoing commitment makes it a key driving force behind our city’s cultural development,” said Schoeller.
Which artwork is being purchased for the Artothek?
The work “5 per 1m²” by the artist Tetyana Zolotopupova (5.000 euros) is being purchased for the Kassel Artothek. The work uses Google Maps imagery to depict mined landscapes in Ukraine. The proceeds from the sale will support demining efforts in regions that remain under occupation. The Foundation Board regards the purchase as a deliberate gesture of solidarity.
Which artistic projects are eligible for funding?
This year, the foundation is supporting eleven projects, each with a grant of 1,000 euros:
- Anna Göbel / U Musik – Sound laboratory in a disused railway tunnel
- Catharina Alkhouri / Voices Reflect Cultures – Intercultural music project
- Galerie Feiertag / Exhibition programme 2026
- Gallery Festival: Südgalerien – Diversity in Flux
- Chamäleon Concerts Initiative / Modulations – Concert series for contemporary music
- Echochamber Initiative / Echochamber – An immersive performance on right-wing violence in digital spaces
- K3 e.V. – Kassel Studio Tour Initiative / Kassel Studio Tour 2026
- mimikri Kassel e.V. / Annual exhibition programme
- Sara Klapp & Anne Rieckhof / After the Happy End – Theatre and music project
- Theater Laku Paka / Scaredy-cat, Pepper-nose! – Puppet theatre for children
- WASCHRAUM / Annual programme of the independent project space
When is the awards ceremony?
The awards ceremony will take place on Tuesday, 23 June 2026, at 6 pm at the Kasseler Kunstverein. The exhibition of the winning works can be viewed there until Tuesday, 30 June 2026, during the Kunstverein’s opening hours (Tuesday to Sunday and on public holidays from 11 am to 6 pm, Thursday from 11 am to 8 pm). Admission is free.
Who is Pascal Hointza?
Hointza’s painting explores transitions, ruptures and liminal states of human existence. Within multi-layered, atmospherically dense pictorial spaces, scenes emerge that are reminiscent of dreams, fragments of memory or cinematic sequences. His figures appear as travellers in a moment of liminality: vulnerable, searching, determined. Hointza finds inspiration whilst travelling to remote or unsettling places around the world. He distils these impressions into poetic, enigmatic visual worlds that pose existential questions. Hointza (born 1993) lives in the district, works in Kassel, and graduated in 2026 as a master’s student from the Kassel Art Academy, where he studied Fine Art.
Who is Hannes Hirth?
Hannes Hirth (born 1996) is one of the most distinctive young voices on the Kassel music scene. As a pianist, keyboardist, saxophonist, singer and composer, he blends modern jazz, classical harmony, improvisational freedom and elements of progressive rock into a distinctive musical language. The focus is on the Hannes Hirth Trio, whose compositions are characterised by rhythmic complexity and melodic clarity. His debut album, Almost Optimistic, was released in 2024. In addition, Hirth is a key figure in numerous other ensembles and contributes to theatre and performance projects. He lives in the district and works in Kassel.
Who is Carola Ruf?
Carola Ruf (b. 1955) works at the intersection of painting, drawing and sculpture. Her precisely composed works explore the relationship between space, material and perception. Through subtle shifts, serial arrangements and minimalist forms, she creates visual and sculptural worlds that combine tranquillity, concentration and subtle movement. Her works respond sensitively to architectural contexts and often come into their own through their interaction with the exhibition space. Ruf lives and works in Kassel and has been a prominent figure on the regional and national art scene for many years.
What is the Kassel Art Prize?
The Kassel Art Prize has been awarded since 1992 by the Dr Wolfgang Zippel Foundation to young artists in the fields of music and the visual arts. The “Kassel Art Prize Dr Wolfgang Zippel Foundation” was established in 1991. The foundation’s executive board is the City Council of Kassel, which is supported by a seven-member foundation council. The Foundation Board currently comprises the Lord Mayor and Head of the Cultural Affairs Department, Dr Sven Schoeller, as Chair, Professor Joel Baumann, Milen Krastev, Andrea Linnenkohl, Olaf Pyras, Dr Volker Schäfer and Hartmut Schmidt.
The foundation owes its existence to Dr Wolfgang Zippel, who was born in Kassel in 1923 and, upon his death in 1990, bequeathed cash and assets to the city of Kassel for the purpose of establishing the foundation.
The purpose of the foundation is to promote the visual arts and music. At the heart of its work is the annual presentation of the Kassel Art Prize to young artists from the region. In addition, the foundation awards project grants to support artistic initiatives and to purchase works of art for the Kassel Art Library.
Since 2020, the Foundation has been able to further develop and expand its work thanks to a bequest from Doris Krininger. Doris Krininger was a long-standing member of the Board of Trustees of the Dr Wolfgang Zippel Foundation until her death in 2018, and bequeathed part of her estate to the Foundation for the cross-disciplinary support of artists.
©Press release from the City of Kassel. Further information: kassel.de/kasseler-kunstpreis