This year's graduate exhibition at the Karlsruhe University of Arts and Design is entitled “26 Grad” (26 Degrees) and is dedicated to the moment of transition from joint studies to a new phase of life.

From April 16 to 26, 2026, around 25 graduates of the HfG Karlsruhe will present their final projects at the neighboring ZKM | Center for Art and Media Karlsruhe, an internationally renowned institution for media art. The exhibition brings together current diploma projects from the departments of Communication Design, Product Design, Media Art, Scenography and Exhibition Design, as well as Art History and Media Philosophy, and brings to life a special moment of departure and transition.

A central motif of the exhibition is the stone tower: it serves as a guide when paths become unclear and at the same time symbolizes the creative act of designing, of setting points that only make sense in interaction. Each stone represents an individual artistic project by the graduates. Only when combined do they create structures that are more than the sum of their individual parts. The stone towers thus become a symbol for the completion of studies and the prospect of new directions. They mark a location, embody experiences and processes, and are at the same time a starting point for future projects.

The exhibition shows works from all five departments and highlights how closely they work together. The interdisciplinary exchange has a lasting impact on the artistic and creative positions. Despite their differences, the graduates have one thing in common: they are at the end of their studies and at the beginning of a new chapter. The works enter into dialogue, reflect the diversity of positions, and show how individual works become a shared experience.

An accompanying catalog provides insights into the creation, methods, and background of the exhibited projects.

The exhibition opens on Thursday, April 16, 2026, with a vernissage, where visitors will have the opportunity to talk to the graduates, and concludes with a finissage on Sunday, April 26, 2026.

Vernissage
With champagne reception, introduction to the scenography, live coding, projection performance, and DJ sets
Thursday, April 16, 2026, 6–11 p.m. | ZKM Museum Balcony

Finissage
Sunday, April 26, 2026, 6 p.m.
HfG – Reling

Exhibition Venue
ZKM | Center for Art and Media Karlsruhe
Lichthof 8, 1st Floor
Lorenzstraße 19, 76135 Karlsruhe

Hours: Wed–Sun, 10 am–6 pm
Admission: free

Film Screenings
“The Water Is Silver-Clear…” – Alexander Thelen
“Good Enough” – Finn Baygan
Saturday, April 18, 6:00 p.m.
Sunday, April 26, 7:30 p.m.
HfG – Cinema in the Blue Salon

Guided Tours with Lasse Peters
Friday, April 17 | Wednesday, April 22 | Saturday, April 25
3:00 p.m. each day
Meeting point: ZKM Museum Balcony

Artist Talk
“Life After the Academy” with Alistair Hudson & Dominika Szope
Moderator: Prof. Constanze Fischbeck
Wednesday, April 22, 4:30–5:45 p.m.
ZKM USEUM – Lichthof 8