47m Invites is a long-term exhibition series that invites international guest curators to develop curatorial concepts in collaboration with 47m. The program fosters dialogue between different curatorial approaches while creating connections across artistic, cultural, and geographic contexts.

As an interdisciplinary platform, 47m Circles provides space for performative, cinematic, literary, and musical formats, as well as for readings and screenings that take place independently of the exhibitions.

Adress

47m Contemporary
Wünschmann-Haus, 6th floor
Karl-Liebknecht-Straße 12
04107 Leipzig

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Opening hours

Wednesday and Friday, 3–8 pm
Saturday, 1–6 pm

Admission

Accessibility information

The elevator takes you to the lower dome room on the 6th floor. The upper dome room and the restrooms are currently not wheelchair accessible.

About 47m Contemporary

Founded in 2023, the Kunstverein 47m Contemporary is an exhibition platform for both established and emerging international voices in contemporary art. The association is dedicated to presenting critical artistic perspectives that engage with urgent questions of our time. In doing so, it sees itself as a platform for intergenerational and interdisciplinary dialogue.

With three annual solo or group exhibitions, the artistic focus lies on time-based media such as video, sound, installation, and performance, as well as the development of site-specific new productions. These formats are accompanied by a diverse range of collaborations and events.

47m is located in the listed Wünschmann-Haus in Leipzig’s Südvorstadt district. The building was constructed between 1914 and 1917 based on the design by Leipzig architect Georg Wünschmann. The exhibition spaces extend across the top two floors, reaching up to the domed hall situated 47 meters above street level.

History of the Building

The building was constructed between 1913 and 1917 as an association and administrative headquarters for the Association of German Commercial Employees. According to contemporary opinion, architect Georg Wünschmann created the “canon of the modern commercial palace,” crowned by a monumental dome (47 meters) housing a domed hall. This dome is visible from many parts of Leipzig and is a defining feature of the city’s skyline. The monument map of Saxony notes that the sculpted heads on the façade are intended to allegorically represent trade and commerce. The 92-metre-wide representative shell limestone façade, with its calm articulation and six fluted columns in colossal order, also bears the building inscription. Due to wartime delays, the exterior was completed in 1916. At that time, the building also housed the administration of the Great Leipzig Tramway, later the Leipzig Transport Authority. From 1917/1919 onwards, it additionally accommodated a war economy museum and later a national economy museum. Directly behind it, in the courtyard, is the associated printing house of the association, built at the same time.
During the National Socialist era, the building served as the foreign exchange office (Devisenstelle), which monitored and initiated the confiscation of Jewish property, operating at the intersection of administration and the practical enforcement of expropriation. This was documented in the project and guided tour “Exclusion, Persecution, Expropriation – Involvement of Leipzig Institutions under National Socialism” by the Leipzig City History Museum. Other sites, such as the New Town Hall as the seat of municipal authorities and administration, and the auction house Hans Klemm (Große Fleischergasse 19), were also involved in the expropriation and auctioning of Jewish property.

In 1946, the building was taken over by the Free German Trade Union Federation (FDGB), which developed into the largest mass organisation in the GDR with around nine million members by 1990. Despite its name, the FDGB was not independent; it was subordinate to the Socialist Unity Party (SED) and served primarily to secure its political control.

Until 1993, a post office was located in the central section behind the entrance hall. After 1990, the building was acquired by a company from Baden-Württemberg and extensively renovated in the mid-1990s. As with many buildings in Leipzig, it is also privately owned by West German investors. Since then, 25 high-quality residential units have been created in the building. In 2013, the Leipzig public transport authority moved to a new administrative building, followed by another change of ownership two years later.

After several years of vacancy, 47m Contemporary has been permanently located in the dome of the Wünschmann-Haus since June 2024.

Erik Swars
Curator and Head of Production, First Chairperson of the Board

Paula Rüschel
Managing Director and Finance, Member of the Advisory Board

Miriam Schmidt
Press and Public Relations, Member of the Advisory Board

Hannah Lüken
Curatorial Assistant

Finn Hampel
Production and Finance

Matthias Brühl
Treasurer and Member of the Advisory Board

Hanna Thuma
Art Education

Janika Jähnisch
Curator and Project Management, Second Chairperson of the Board

Yana Kadykova
Curator and Project Management

Arto Schudy
Curatorial Assistant

Anica Kehr
Communications and Production, Member of the Advisory Board

(from left to right)

Not in the image:

Henning Penske-Chigir
Sponsorship and Website

Steffen Woyth
Strategic Consulting and Member of the Advisory Board

The statutes define our goals and principles, as well as the rights and obligations of our members. The current version is available here as a PDF for download.

Open statutes

47m Contemporary
Wünschmann-Haus, 6th floor
Karl-Liebknecht-Straße 12
04107 Leipzig

General inquiries: info@47m.info

Membership: membership@47m.info

Events & rentals: event@47m.info

Press inquiries: presse@47m.info

Art education: mediation@47m.info

Never miss any updates: the 47m newsletter provides regular information about exhibition openings, events, and more. Sign up here:

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47m e.V. / 47m Contemporary

Wünschmann House
Karl-Liebknecht-Straße 12
04107 Leipzig, Germany

Opening hours:
Wednesday and Friday: 3–8 pm, Saturday: 1–6 pm
Individual visits by appointment info@47m.info

Founding members: Matthias Brühl, Janika Jähnisch, Anica Kehr, Paula Rüschel, Miriam Schmidt, Erik Swars, Steffen Woyth

1st Chairperson: Erik Swars
2nd Chairperson: Janika Jähnisch

Register court: Local Court Leipzig
Registration number: VR8064

Website Concept & Design: Arto Schudy
Development: Uma Grotrian-Steinweg
Thank you @ Intermediale Gestaltung

Bank details: GLS Bank
47M e.V.
IBAN: DE65430609671333638001

Liability notice: We assume no liability for the content of external links. The operators of linked websites are solely responsible for their content. At the time of linking, the content was checked for possible legal violations.

Copyright: Reproduction, editing, distribution, and any form of use require the permission of the respective artist. Downloads and copies of this site are permitted for private, non-commercial use only.

Overview of current and past project funders:

Brazilian Embassy
Galerie Esther Schipper
Gangart Werbung GmbH
Guimarães-Rosa Institute Berlin
Karin und Uwe Hollweg Foundation
Kulturstiftung des Freistaates Sachsen
Kulturamt der Stadt Leipzig
Landesdirektion Sachsen
Leipzig Stiftung
Let’s Dev/Kortpress (Link)
Montis Real Estate
Ostdeutsche Sparkassenstiftung
Ulmer Verein
Winzervereinigung Freyburg-Unstrut eG

The spaces of the art association 47m Contemporary are available for rental for events. Rental is only possible during the installation periods between exhibitions and outside regular opening hours.

For inquiries regarding availability, pricing, or additional images of the venue, please contact: event@47m.info

Available spaces

Lower dome room
Size: 160 m²
Capacity: 70 people

Upper dome room
Size: 120 m²
Capacity: 80 people

Sanitary facilities are available

General information

Rental fees are determined individually based on the type and duration of the event as well as the spaces used. Cleaning costs are included. Technical equipment can be provided upon request; type and scope are agreed individually and charged separately as a technical rental fee plus a deposit. All conditions and agreements are set out in a written contract.

Please note: Events must end no later than 10:00 pm.