About this podcast
For years, the Alexander Tutsek-Stiftung has been collecting, preserving, and researching glass in the context of contemporary art. What began in December 2000 as a vision—to sustainably strengthen the neglected, overlooked, or even unique and special aspects of art and science—has now become one of the most significant collections of contemporary glass in art worldwide.

The anniversary exhibition Future Horizons: Glass in Contemporary Art brings together sculptures and installations by around 50 international artists. The third season of the Alexander Tutsek-Stiftung podcast takes you on a journey through this art collection and the fascinating world of working with glass in contemporary art. Each episode features artists from the exhibition or experts who work with glass in contemporary art.

Episode 4
Kiki Smith and Mine
with Kiki Smith and Dr. Petra Giloy-Hirtz

Red three-dimensional stars with sharp points are arranged symmetrically across the floor. The work is titled “Mine”—a play on words: “mine” means “mine,” but also “landmine”—a weapon hidden in the ground, waiting to strike. Kiki Smith did not have a starry sky in mind when creating this work. And because they are made of glass, these stars contain a second paradox: glass that breaks becomes shards—but also splinters. What appears delicate can cause injury.

We speak with the American artist Kiki Smith (born 1954 in Nuremberg) and curator Dr. Petra Giloy-Hirtz about

● the work “Mine” (1999) and its meaning
● the motif of stars in Kiki Smith’s oeuvre
● the artist’s approach to the medium of glass
● Kiki Smith’s relationship to the church and the design of the Mary’s Mantle Chapel in Freising

Exhibition: “Future Horizons”—on view through July 19, 2026, at the BlackBox and BlackBox FirstFloor, Parkstadt Schwabing, Munich

Further Links
● Alexander Tutsek Foundation: https://atstiftung.de/
Publication: About Glass. Contemporary Sculpture and Installationshttps://atstiftung.de/produkt/about-glass-contemporary-sculpture-and-installations/

The podcast is also available wherever podcasts are available.