VOLLGEPACKT

PACKED with anticipation, wanderlust, wishes and dreams, but also with worries, disappointments and losses, many of the so-called ‘guest workers’ and their descendants continue to this day to travel back and forth between two homelands. Since the recruitment agreements of the mid-1950s, a complex sense of home has therefore developed in many families across several generations. The exhibition VOLLGEPACKT explored this theme through the lens of Turkish-German migration stories. It was based on a photo series by Alwin Maigler, commissioned for the Mercedes-Benz Art Collection and produced in collaboration with the Turkish Employee Network – a network of the company’s employees. During the summer of 2024, the artist travelled in a historic Mercedes-Benz along the so-called ‘homeland route’ documenting memorable encounters with people, places and their stories. The exhibition was accompanied by video interviews and a poetic contribution by Merve Kayıkçı.

Venue and opening hours

Projektraum Kunstverein Wagenhalle e.V., Innerer Nordbahnhof 1, 70191 Stuttgart
Open Tue–Fri 16:00–19:00, Sat/Sun 14:00–17:00
Free admission

Events and Educational Programme

In an effort to foster a wide-ranging dialogue and expand on the exhibition’s core themes, the exhibition project was accompanied by a dynamic programme of events.

09 July 2023, from 6.30 pm: Public Opening

10 July 2026, 18.00 pm to 21.00 pm: Open-Air Concert

Open-air concert on the grounds of the Kunstverein Wagenhalle, featuring performances by Junge Arbeiter, RIVØ, David Yahin, Kaća and The Funk and the Furious. The concert’s concept was conceived by art history students from the University of Stuttgart.

12 July 2026, 11.00 am to 12.30 pm: Matinee event with Staatsoper Stuttgart

In a panel discussion, Julia Schmitt (dramaturg, Staatsoper Stuttgart), Anika Rutkofsy (director, Staatsoper Stuttgart), Goran Juric (singer, Staatsoper Stuttgart), Alwin Maigler (artist featured in the VOLLGEPACKT exhibition) and Alina Grehl (curator of VOLLGEPACKT) discussed their creative process in designing and realising the photo series “Başardık” and the “mixtape opera” Station Paradiso. Both artistic projects explore a complex sense of home through the history of so-called “guest workers”. The conversation highlighted how they approached the subject, and which visual, musical and thematic elements played a central role. What similarities and differences arose in their approaches based on the different artistic media of opera and photography?

With musical contributions by Goran Juric (bass, Staatsoper Stuttgart), Matthias Klink (tenor, Staatsoper Stuttgart), Fanie Antonelou (soprano) and Yuri Aoki (principal répétiteur), from the “mixtape opera” Station Paradiso.

15 July 2026, 6.30 pm to 7.45 pm: Panel discussion  

The panel discussion brought together people from various communities who have a connection to the history of so-called ‘guest workers’. The discourse was joined by Anna Koktsidou (former Diversity and Integration Officer at SWR) and Luka Babic (PhD candidate at the University of Tübingen). They shared insights from their professional and research work, for example, on diversity and tolerance in the media and corporate culture, on the exploration of cultural and political themes in poetry, or the so-called “Jugo-Liga” football league. The conversation also focused on personal experiences, their family histories and what “home” means to them. Through dialogue, the associated challenges as well as possibilities and opportunities were explored – including potential similarities and differences. The event was moderated by Vatan Ukaj (democracy trainer, founder of WERTansich(t) and political scientist).  

18 July 2026, 5.00 pm to 6.00 pm: Artist and Travel Talk with Alwin Maigler and Constantin Schiller

In a joint discussion, Alina Grehl (curator of the VOLLGEPACKT exhibition), Alwin Maigler (artist featured in the VOLLGEPACKT exhibition) and Constantin Schiller (photographer and travel companion for the commissioned work) discussed the planning and realisation of the commissioned work “Başardık”. In addition to details about the photographic series, there was also a look ‘behind-the-scenes’ from the artists’ three-week road trip to Turkey.

22 July 2026, 6.30 pm to 7.30 pm: Lecture by Thordis Kokot

Thordis Kokot (PhD candidate at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich) gave a lecture on so-called ‘female guest workers’ from Greece, who have so far received little attention in the history of migration. Her research focuses on the everyday lives of these women, but above all on their political activism, for example in strikes or demonstrations. She explores the intersection of migration, gender and labour history. Following the talk there was time for questions, reflections and discussion.

23 July 2026, 6.00 pm to 7.00 pm: Special guided tour with Alwin Maigler and Merve Kayıkçı

In the exhibition VOLLGEPACKT, Alwin Maigler and Merve Kayıkçı’s photographic and poetic approaches to the exhibition’s theme come together. In a special guided tour, they introduced us to their artistic projects and their chosen key themes, creative approaches and visual languages.

24 July 2026, 5.30 pm to 7.00 pm: Dialogic reading with Nejdet Niflioglu

Nejdet Niflioglu (founder of the Turkish Employee Network and former Diversity Manager at Mercedes-Benz) read from his book Von Gastarbeitern zu Hoffnungsträgern [From Guest Workers to Bearers of Hope] (Molino Verlag, 2023). Drawing on his personal migration story, he explores Germany’s relationship with immigrants in his publication. The event was designed as a dialogue-based format fostering a shared discourse and exchange.

26 July 2026, 3.00 pm to 4.00 pm & 31 July 2026, 6.30 pm to 7.30 pm: Curator’s tour with Alina Grehl

Participants joined Alina Grehl (curator of the exhibition VOLLGEPACKT) on a guided tour to explore the exhibited artworks and installations. The tour offered an insight into the background of the commissioned work and the exhibition concept.

28 July 2026, 6.30 pm to 7.30 pm: Reading organised by art history students from the University of Stuttgart