Name: Word Worlds | Image Worlds Exhibition
Start: 2026-09-15T14:00:00+02:00
End: 2026-09-15T14:00:00+02:00
Location: Villa Rosenthal

When Poetry Becomes Script: Word Worlds | Image Worlds at Villa Rosenthal

At Villa Rosenthal, an exhibition unfolds that transforms literature, calligraphy, and contemporary poetry into a quiet, highly concentrated artistic experience. Word Worlds | Image Worlds showcases works by Silvio Colditz, where poem and script do not stand next to each other, but interpenetrate. The exhibition opens a space for aesthetic experience, where language is not only read but also seen.

Calligraphy as Poetic Visual Language

Silvio Colditz views his calligraphic sheets as a library of poetry. This perspective shapes the entire atmosphere of the exhibition: lines, rhythm, density, and white space give the poems a visual structure that connects to the tradition of calligraphy while remaining rooted in the here and now. Each examination of the work reveals how text becomes a carrier of images and a poem becomes an independent artwork.

The Gesture as Literary Laboratory

At the center is the literature magazine Die Geste, published in Dresden, which connects contemporary poetry with calligraphic interpretation. The fact that each published poem appears both in normal text and in handwritten artistic form makes the project a remarkable example of cultural education in the border area of literature and visual art. The selection in Jena gathers voices of contemporary poetry and demonstrates how vibrant the German poetry scene is.

Between Poetry, Curation, and Cultural Context

The exhibition is based on an idea by Lese-Zeichen e.V. and was conceived by Ralf Schönfelder. It stands in a curatorial tradition that not only presents works but also makes connections visible: between authors, script culture, and contemporary art, reading culture, and exhibition practice. This conceptual clarity gives the project its special authority in the field of literary-artistic mediation.

Villa Rosenthal as a Place for Concentrated Observation

Villa Rosenthal is an ideal place for such a show. The listed building in Jena combines a historical atmosphere with an open cultural program and provides the appropriate setting for concentrated examination of the works. The spaces invite visitors to take their time, read details, and experience the materiality of the calligraphic works up close. Those who linger here quickly feel how strongly space, light, and text correspond with each other.

What Visitors Can Expect

A selection of works is on display that productively raises the tension between poem, script, and art object. The exhibition is aimed at art enthusiasts, literature lovers, and anyone who wishes to discover calligraphy as an independent form of aesthetic experience. Word Worlds | Image Worlds promises a quiet, intense visit that resonates long after and broadens the perspective on contemporary poetry.

Conclusion: This exhibition makes visible how powerful language can be in space. Those interested in calligraphy, poetry, and contemporary exhibitions should definitely visit Villa Rosenthal in person and engage in a finely composed encounter between word and image.