Arriving? Migration, Faith, and Identity
Duration
18 July 2025 – 23 October 2025
Location
Turm zur Katz, Konstanz
Participants
University of Konstanz, HTWG Konstanz, Trossingen University of Music
What does it mean to leave everything behind – and to arrive anew? From July 18 to October 23, the exhibition “Arriving? Migration, Faith and Identity” can be seen at the Turm zur Katz. We take a look at the city’s turbulent history of migration – shaped by religious and cultural motives, by persecution and new beginnings.
Migration shapes our history: People have always left their homes – voluntarily or forced. In setting out, being on the way, and arriving, faith often plays a central role: It knows neither nations nor borders, offers support in new life situations, and creates community. Konstanz is a vivid example of this: Since antiquity, people of many different origins have met here. To this day, diverse traces of religious traditions and practices can be recognized in the cityscape. In arriving, migration, faith and identity combine into something new. This is what we want to make visible and tangible.
The exhibition “Arriving? Migration, Faith and Identity” is the result of an interdisciplinary project of the HTWG Konstanz, the University of Konstanz and the Trossingen University of Music in cooperation with the Cultural Office of the City of Konstanz and the Turm zur Katz. In the winter semester 2024/25, students of the degree programs Architecture, History, Computer Science, Communication Design and Music Design developed a multimedia exhibition concept. This semester, the concept was implemented by around 80 students with the support of lecturers and supervisors and can be seen at the Turm zur Katz starting July 18.
History
Computer Science
Communication Design
Music Design
Registration Office
In an annex of the Turm zur Katz, visitors enter the exhibition. In sound design and atmosphere, this passageway is modeled after a registration office – with cold, glaring light, office noises, and a waiting area. Here, visitors receive their personal ID – an identification document that can be scanned at various points of the exhibition to operate the interactive exhibits.
Home
On the ground floor, visitors get to know six individual life paths – people with different backgrounds and motivations. What led them to leave their homes? The presented characters are based on historical models and are brought to life with the help of AI-generated images and voices.
On the Move
On the first floor, visitors can trace the migration routes of the characters. Interactive maps make the different routes visible. An animated world map shows migration movements from various centuries and across the entire globe.
Arriving
On the second floor, visitors accompany the six characters as they arrive in Konstanz. At the center are religious sites that provide orientation, community, and support. The characters share their experiences at these sites with the visitors. With the help of VR headsets, visitors can explore three of the places of worship themselves.
Arrived?
The top floor is dedicated to the question of what it means to have truly arrived. Here, visitors can converse with the AI-animated characters about their fate. By now, all the characters have aged and look back on their journey and the experiences connected with it. The design of this floor opens up space for dialogue: What is home to you? What does it mean to you to have arrived?
