Exhibition Explores Global Waste Through Art at Museum Ostwall

The Museum Ostwall at Dortmunder U in Dortmund, Germany, is presenting an exhibition titled 'Müll. Eine Ausstellung über die globalen Wege des Abfalls' from March 27 to July 26, 2026. The show features artistic works from the 1960s to the present, examining waste and its worldwide trajectories. It is supported by the Kulturstiftung der Länder with a grant of 36,855 euros. Dr. Christine Regus, Secretary General of the Kulturstiftung der Länder, noted that the exhibition highlights how artists have engaged with societal and ecological issues for decades, combining historical and contemporary approaches to address a globally relevant theme through art. Drawing from its collections related to Nouveau Réalisme, Fluxus, and performance art, alongside modern perspectives, the museum investigates international waste management systems. Artists have repurposed discarded materials since the 1960s to explore social, environmental, and political concerns. Notable works include four screenprints from HA Schult's 1969 action 'Situation Schackstraße,' where waste was dumped on a Munich street to raise awareness of pollution. Nancy Holt's 1980s designs for transforming a New Jersey landfill into an art park are displayed, though the project was never completed. Other contemporary pieces address colonialism's long-term effects and waste management in the Global South. Ghanaian artist Akwasi Bediako Afrane presents a site-specific installation made from electronic waste, evoking a dystopian city, viewable with VR headsets. The exhibition underscores social inequality and environmental degradation as consequences of affluence and consumer culture. Additional artists featured include Ana Alenso, Arman, Karimah Ashadus, Kader Attia, H. R. Decker, Dieter Roth, and Klaus Staeck. A symposium on waste in modern and contemporary art will be held at the museum on June 11, 2026. The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., with extended hours until 8 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays.