Vita
Studied Sociology and Political Science at the University of Kassel (B.A.) with a Master's degree in Sociology at the University of Kassel. From 2022 - 2023 Research assistant at the University of Kassel with Prof. Dr. Heinz Bude (Chair of Macrosociology). Since 2023 Research Fellow at the documenta Institut.
Research project
The Rules of Art: On the Use Value of Theory at documenta
My research examines the changing functions of theory within the field of contemporary art, focusing in particular on the history of documenta since the 1990s. It investigates how theoretical approaches — especially those associated with “French Theory” and poststructuralism — have been mobilized, transformed, institutionalized, and aestheticized within large-scale exhibition contexts.
Starting from recent curatorial practices, such as Naomi Beckwith’s exhibition ECHO DELAY REVERB, the project asks whether theory in contemporary exhibitions still functions primarily as a critical instrument, or increasingly appears as something curated, displayed, and musealized within the institutional space of the exhibition itself. Methodologically, the research combines a genealogical perspective inspired by Michel Foucault with approaches from the sociology of knowledge and field theory, particularly the work of Pierre Bourdieu. Empirically, it draws on archival material from the documenta archiv, exhibition catalogues, curatorial texts, and publication formats related to different editions of documenta. Rather than reconstructing a continuous history of theory on documenta, the project proceeds through selected case studies, including documenta 10, documenta 11, documenta 15, and — prospectively — documenta 16. A central concern is the question of which theories become visible and institutionally legible within the contemporary art field, while others remain marginal or absent.
Main research areas
History of ideas
Sociology of intellectuals
Sociology of art
Qualitative social research (including image hermeneutics in the sociology of knowledge)
Projects
Collaboration in the project Antisemitismus und postkoloniale Debatten am Beispiel der documenta fifteen
Editorial office
Bude, Heinz (Ed.) (2026): Seeing through China. Mi You und Andreas Schmid im Gespräch mit Heinz Bude. Berlin: Hatje Cantz. (Editing, translation, proofreading)
Lectures
12 I 2025 Zauberkünstler. Zur Wirkung Alexandre Kojèves auf Georges Bataille (Universität Osnabrück)
11 I 2024 Wer sind ruangrupa? Was ist lumbung? Kollektivität zwischen Partizipation und Gemeinschaft (Universität Regensburg)
Academic conferences and workshops (planning, organization, and facilitation)
06 I 2026 Art – Exhibition – Discourse. Art and theoretical discourse at the documenta and other venues of contemporary art
Events
09 I 2025 Kojèves verkannte Autorität. Marius Kemper talk with Heinz Bude (book presentation), Kassel
Publications (selection)
I. Monographs
Kemper, Marius (2025): Kojèves verkannte Autorität. Wien; Berlin: Turia + Kant.
II. Articles
Kemper, Marius (2026): ruangrupa und die Institutionalisierung von Kollektivität in der Gegenwartskunst. In: Zeitschrift für Kultur- und Kollektivwissenschaft 11(2), p. 109-124.
Kemper, Marius (2025): Der lange Sommer der sobat-sobat. In: Bude, Heinz/Mendel, Meron (Ed.): Kunst im Streit. Antisemitismus und postkoloniale Debatte auf der documenta fifteen, Frankfurt, p. 15-34.
Kemper, Marius (2025): „Make friends, not art“ und die Grenzen der Gemeinschaft. In: Bude, Heinz/Mendel, Meron (Ed.): Kunst im Streit. Antisemitismus und postkoloniale Debatte auf der documenta fifteen, Frankfurt, p. 113-150.