When does BLINDNESS take place?

The opening will take place on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, from 18:00 to 19:30.

Where is the event held?

The venue is the Basilica of St. Martin in Ulm-Wiblingen, Schlossstraße 38, 89079 Ulm.

How much is the admission fee?

Admission to the opening and the art installation is free.

What can the audience expect at the opening?

The audience will experience a lecture-performance featuring texts by Jehuda Amichai as well as contributions from literature, visual art, violin, organ, and lighting design.

How long will the installation be on display?

The installation can be viewed until November 30, 2026, during the opening hours of the basilica.

Are there guided tours of the installation?

Guided tours will take place on Sunday, November 15, 2026, from 15:00 to 16:00 and on Sunday, November 22, 2026, from 11:45 to 12:45.

When Draped Altars Tell History: BLINDNESS Touches Ulm with Art and Music

Name: BLINDNESS / DELUSION
Start: 2026-11-10T18:00:00+01:00
End: 2026-11-10T19:30:00+01:00
Location: Basilika St. Martin in Ulm Wiblingen

BLINDNESS / DELUSION: Art, Memory, and Dialogue in the Basilica Wiblingen

On November 10, 2026, the art installation BLINDNESS / DELUSION by Marianne Hollenstein opens at the Basilica of St. Martin in Ulm-Wiblingen. A lecture-performance featuring texts by Israeli poet Jehuda Amichai combines visual art, literature, music, and spiritual impulses into a multifaceted event experience.

A Church Space Becomes a Space of Thought

The installation emerges in conjunction with the construction site of the basilica. Draped figures and altars directly address the theme of blindness and transform the historic church space into a walkable reflection area. Large-format paintings on construction platforms, mirror walls, and a floor sculpture create an immersive atmosphere, allowing visitors to experience themselves as part of the artwork.

Texts by Jehuda Amichai in the Spotlight

The opening focuses on the texts of Jehuda Amichai, who was born in 1924 in Würzburg, emigrated to Jerusalem in 1936, and is regarded as one of the significant modern Israeli poets. His works reflect on memory, war, displacement, and the question of how personal history continues to live on in language.

International Voices and Musical Highlights

The lecture-performance brings together different perspectives. Among those participating are Father Basilius Schiel from the Dormitio Abbey in Jerusalem, Emanuella Amichai from Tel Aviv, Bernhard Stengele, Dean Ulrich Kloos, and Dr. Oliver Schütz. The musical design is provided by violinist Rita Nakad and organist Philipp Kaufmann. Lighting by Markus Denk enhances the perception of the church space and sets targeted accents between art, architecture, and memory.

From Blindness to Change

Thematically, the project revolves around blindness, expulsion, annihilation, and memory. Mirrors, overpainted surfaces, and hand-written paper rolls open thought spaces about the relationship between past and present. The reference to the Qumran scrolls and the connection of various religious and cultural experiences make the installation a dialogue with history.

Visit the Installation until the End of November

The art installation will be on view until November 30, 2026, during the basilica's opening hours. Additionally, guided tours with Dr. Oliver Schütz will take place on November 15 and 22. The event is aimed at culture enthusiasts, literature lovers, and anyone wishing to experience contemporary art in an extraordinary sacred space.

Conclusion: An Evening of Art, Music, and Memory

BLINDNESS / DELUSION promises an intense atmosphere for the audience and an unusual event experience that combines lecture, concert moments, and spatial installation. Those who wish to not only observe art but experience it as a sensory encounter with history, spirituality, and the present are best suited to experience the opening live at the Basilica Wiblingen.