Portikus

Portikus is a non-commercial exhibition and publishing institution for contemporary art located in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Founded in 1987, it operates as an essential part of the Hochschule für Bildende Künste – Städelschule, the city's renowned art academy. Its programme is dedicated to exhibiting, publishing and discussing the work of young and emerging as well as established artists. The institution is publicly funded, with permanent support from the Kulturamt (Cultural Office) of the City of Frankfurt am Main, and additional project funding from the Hessisches Ministerium für Wissenschaft und Forschung, Kunst und Kultur for the period 2022–2026. Portikus is housed in a purpose-built exhibition building on the Maininsel (Main Island) in Frankfurt, completed in 2006 and financed by the non-profit STIFTUNG GIERSCH. The building's glazed gable roof is dominated by a permanent light installation, "Light lab (1/12)" (2006) by Ólafur Elíasson, which is part of the collection of the Museum MMK für Moderne Kunst and was acquired with support from Helaba Landesbank Hessen-Thüringen and restored in 2021 with support from the Wüstenrot Stiftung. The institution is free to enter and open Tuesday to Friday 12–19h and Saturday/Sunday 11–19h, closed Mondays. As of the evidence, the venue is temporarily closed for renovation, with the next exhibition, Kobby Adi's "My Skeleton", scheduled to open on 2 October 2026. Beyond exhibitions, Portikus maintains an active publishing arm, producing publications and editions. Its history is documented in the film archive "Portikus Under Construction" by Helke Bayrle, who filmed the installation of exhibitions from 1992 to 2022; the complete archive is publicly accessible online. The institution is led by director Barbara Clausen, with curator Juliane Bischoff, project coordination by Claudia Famulok and Jacqueline Jakobi, press by Claudia Famulok, and installation management by Johannes Schwalm. Since 2025, THE FLAG has been an official cooperation partner of Portikus.

Portikus was founded in 1987 in Frankfurt am Main as an exhibition institution for contemporary art. From its inception, it has been an essential part of the Hochschule für Bildende Künste – Städelschule, the city's art academy, and has dedicated itself to exhibiting, publishing and discussing the work of young and emerging as well as established artists. The institution's early history is closely tied to its role as a public-facing gallery within an academic art school, providing a platform for experimental and emerging practices. A significant chapter in Portikus's history is the film archive "Portikus Under Construction" by Helke Bayrle. From 1992 to 2022, Bayrle filmed the installation of exhibitions with her video camera, creating a unique documentary record of the institution's exhibition history. Her films go beyond documentation, offering subjective and intimate observations of artists and the processes behind individual exhibitions. The complete archive is publicly accessible online. In 2006, Portikus moved to a purpose-built exhibition building on the Maininsel (Main Island) in Frankfurt. The new building was financed by the non-profit STIFTUNG GIERSCH. Its glazed gable roof features a permanent light installation, "Light lab (1/12)" (2006) by Ólafur Elíasson, which is part of the collection of the Museum MMK für Moderne Kunst. The work was acquired with generous support from Helaba Landesbank Hessen-Thüringen and restored in 2021 with support from the Wüstenrot Stiftung. The institution is permanently funded by the Kulturamt der Stadt Frankfurt am Main, and from 2022 to 2026 it also receives funding from the Hessisches Ministerium für Wissenschaft und Forschung, Kunst und Kultur. In 2025, THE FLAG became an official cooperation partner. As of the evidence, Portikus is temporarily closed for renovation, with the next exhibition, Kobby Adi's "My Skeleton", scheduled to open on 2 October 2026. The institution continues to be led by director Barbara Clausen, with a team including curator Juliane Bischoff and project coordinators Claudia Famulok and Jacqueline Jakobi.

• 2026

  Kobby Adi. My Skeleton exhibition scheduled to open on 2 October 2026.

• 2025

  THE FLAG becomes official cooperation partner of Portikus.

• 2022

  Helke Bayrle concludes filming the Portikus Under Construction archive after 30 years.

• 2021

  Ólafur Elíasson's Light lab restored with support from the Wüstenrot Stiftung.

• 2006

  Portikus moves to a new purpose-built building on the Maininsel, financed by STIFTUNG GIERSCH; Ólafur Elíasson's Light lab (1/12) installed permanently.

• 1992

  Helke Bayrle begins filming the installation of exhibitions for what becomes the Portikus Under Construction archive.

• 1987

  Portikus founded in Frankfurt am Main as part of the Städelschule.

Non-profit public art institution dedicated to contemporary art, affiliated with the Städelschule art academy.

• Exhibitions

  Contemporary art exhibitions of emerging and established artists.

• Publications

  Art publications produced by Portikus.

• Editions

  Limited editions offered by Portikus.

• Portikus Under Construction

  Public film archive by Helke Bayrle documenting exhibition installations from 1992 to 2022.

1. 1Portikus Frankfurtportikus.de
2. 2Über - Portikus Frankfurtportikus.de
3. 3Portikuswikidata.org