Archivio Conz

Dorothee von Windheim (1945, Volmerdingsen, Germany) is a German visual artist known for her exploration of historical preservation and urban decay through conceptual art. Her work captures the fragile traces of time on architectural surfaces, transforming them into lasting artistic records. von Windheim studied at the Hochschule für bildende Künste Hamburg from 1965 to 1971, where she trained under Gotthard Graubner. During this period, she developed a strong interest in fresco restoration, which later became a defining element of her artistic practice. In 1971, she moved to Florence, Italy, to work as a fresco restorer at the Palazzo Pitti, deepening her engagement with historical surfaces and their transformation over time. She began developing her signature "peelings" or "strappo"works, where she meticulously lifted and preserved sections of aged walls, turning them into standalone artworks. Supported by a DAAD scholarship (1971–1972) and a residency at Villa Romana (1975), she refined her approach, blending conservation techniques with contemporary conceptual art. From 1977 to 1980, von Windheim lived in Paris as a resident at the Cité Internationale des Arts, expanding her work to include photography and textiles, exploring themes of memory, material decay, and historical remnants. Her practice gained recognition within conceptual art circles, positioning her as a unique voice in site-specific and process-based art. Her academic career began in the 1980s, with teaching roles at the University of Essen (1980–1981) and the University of Giessen (1987–1988). In 1989, she was appointed Professor of Old and New Artistic Media at the Kunsthochschule Kassel, where she mentored emerging artists and promoted interdisciplinary experimentation. Von Windheim has exhibited extensively, participating in documenta 6 (1977) and presenting solo exhibitions at institutions such as Kunsthalle Kiel (1979), Museum Abteiberg in Mönchengladbach (1991), and the Akademie der Künste in Berlin (2003). She has received several prestigious awards, including the Villa Romana Prize (1975), the Kunstpreis der Böttcherstraße in Bremen (1978), and the Will Grohmann Prize from the Akademie der Künste in Berlin (1988). Archivio Conz houses hes Strappo ad Asolo, (1973) series, silkscreen-bound portfolios with 14 b/w photographs documenting the process of imprinting a column as a performance in the Convento di San Luigi in Asolo.