Pückler – Between Foreign Lands and Freedom

In the summer of 2026, the Cottbus Upper Secondary School carried out an interdisciplinary art and education project on the theme ‘Pückler – between the foreign and freedom’.
The project centred on an exploration of the life and work of the famous Prince Pückler, in particular his experiences of the foreign, freedom and identity.
Together with the artists Kathrin Karras and Mona Höke, who specialise in photography and painting respectively, as well as renowned partners such as the Brandenburg State Museum of Modern Art and the Prince Pückler Museum Foundation, 35 pupils from the Cottbus Upper Secondary School created their own artistic works. In the process, painting and photography were creatively interwoven to create new forms of expression.
The project funded interdisciplinary collaboration and opened up transcultural perspectives. Through workshops, exhibition visits and creative working sessions, the participants explored biographical and literary aspects of Pückler’s life. Themes such as migration, freedom, cultural encounter and the search for identity are examined both artistically and through discourse.

The highlight of the project is a public exhibition of the resulting works at the IKMZ at the BTU Cottbus. The opening will take place on 2 October 2026 at 11.00 am in the conference room of the OSZ Cottbus.
Following this, from 12 noon onwards at the ICMC, the pupils will also lead guidedtoursoftheexhibition and present their work to a wider public.
This will provide an opportunity to engage in conversation with the pupils and the artists Kathrin Karras and Mona Höke.