Manfred Schneckenburger

Manfred Schneckenburger (1 December 1938 – 2 December 2019) was a German art historian and curator of modern and contemporary art. He curated the documenta exhibition twice: documenta 6 in 1977 and documenta 8 in 1987, making him the only person outside of its founder Arnold Bode to lead the event more than once. Schneckenburger served as director of the Kunsthalle Köln from 1973 to 1974 and later became rector of the Kunstakademie Münster.

Born in Stuttgart, Germany, Schneckenburger studied German literature, history, and art history. He initially worked as a school teacher and later as an art critic. In 1972, he organized the cultural program for the Munich Olympic Games. As director of the Kunsthalle Köln from 1973 to 1974, he curated several exhibitions.

During documenta 6 in 1977, Schneckenburger focused on redefining media categories, presenting photography and video as equal artistic forms. For documenta 8 in 1987, he emphasized social engagement in art, with the subtitle "The Social Dimension of Art." He also served as a professor at the Kunstakademie Münster starting in 1990 and became its rector in 1995. His exhibition cycle "In westfälischen Schlössern" (1992) generated significant attention.

Schneckenburger authored several books on art, including *documenta - Idee und Institution* and *Kunst des 20. Jahrhunderts*. He retired from the Kunstakademie Münster in 2004 and passed away on 2 December 2019 at the age of 81.