To Be Continued: Periodic Exhibitions (Documenta, For Example)

In this paper the author reflects on the early history of the Documenta exhibitions held every five years in Kassel, Germany, from 1955. Recalling his long engagement with the topic of the historiography of exhibitions, he compares documenta with earlier exhibitions at Recklinghausen and with Skulptur-Projekte Mà¼nster, drawing out the special features of what he calls periodic exhibitions.