The idea behind the avatar

For many museum visitors, seeing the works of Käthe Kollwitz gives rise to questions and thoughts that they would like to share and discuss with others. In order to fulfil these wishes and strengthen the connection to the younger generation, the idea of the Kollwitz avatar was born – a virtual contact person who picks up on emotions and thoughts and acts in an attentive and listening way.

Content preparation: What would Käthe say today?

The first step was to collect frequently asked questions from visitors – from Kollwitz’ everyday life to the impact and significance of her art, as well as her possible stance on current social issues. The question ‘What would you do today?’ was asked particularly often. – for example in the context of current wars or social injustice. In her works, Kollwitz portrayed people who are affected by poverty, have lost family members in war or live on the streets – themes that suggest a connection to the present day. The aim was to prepare the chatbot for difficult questions. Selected data on Kollwitz’ artworks, diary entries and her biography formed the database.

Technical Realisation of the Project

The decision was made in favour of a chat and voicebot when considering the use of new technologies, due to its ability to access extensive knowledge and answer a wide range of questions. Working closely with IT intouch in Bergisch Gladbach, selected content was prepared for the software and tested with various so-called “prompts”. The avatar was given a matching voice for this selected personality. In addition, a connection had to be developed that allowed the animated avatar, the chatbot and the user interface on the touchscreen to operate smoothly together.

The project uses innovative technologies such as Google’s text-to-speech service for translation into numerous languages or AI-generated responses from OpenAI. The artificial intelligence (AI) is not only interactive, but also capable of learning (after a manual testing process) and now responds to questions individually and in genuine speech.

Insights into design development with Alla Popp.

Design challenges and artistic realization

Certain aspects cannot be reproduced by the AI – such as the ‘Berlin joking tone’ described by Kollwitz’ son Hans or a slight lisp. The design of the avatar itself was quite a challenge. The idea of animating a photo of the artist was soon discarded as it seemed too realistic and therefore a little spooky. It was important to make it clear that this is not Käthe Kollwitz herself, but a digital creature operated by an AI-supported system.

The Kollwitz avatar was designed by Alla Popp, an artist specialising in digital media. The 3D figure modelled exclusively for the museum forms a synthesis between Käthe Kollwitz’ appearance, her art and modern digital aesthetics. Various aspects of Kollwitz’ physical features and her art were incorporated into the design – such as the closed form of her bronze sculptures, the fine hatching of her prints, her empathetic smile and her modest style of dress.

Public Reactions

Initial tests with visitors of different ages showed very positive reactions to the avatar figure. The participants reacted playfully and enthusiastically. For digital natives in particular, the Kollwitz avatar offers a contemporary approach based on today’s media usage. Professional audiences and the press expressed great interest. Colleagues from all over the world visit the avatar and ask numerous, sometimes surprisingly challenging questions.

Critical perspectives: Sustainability and dependencies

Although the Avatar project is using innovative technologies, it also raises important questions regarding sustainability and long-term costs. The use of AI-supported systems requires continuous maintenance, updates and server costs. There is also a dependency on US companies such as OpenAI and Google, whose services are essential for the functioning of the avatar and may incur significant costs. This dependence can involve risks, for example in the case of changes to the terms of use, price increases or technical restrictions that jeopardise the independence and long-term stability of the project. In addition, the ecological balance of such digital projects is quite questionable, as the energy consumption for servers and data centres is not insignificant. Overall, while the project shows how digital innovations can enrich the museum experience, these aspects should be considered more in future projects to ensure the sustainable and responsible use of such technologies.

Uncertain future

The original plan was to continue the avatar project after the reopening of the Kollwitz exhibition and to permanently integrate the avatar into the educational work. This plan can be maintained until the end of 2025. However, it is uncertain whether it will be possible to use the avatar beyond this date, as long-term funding has not yet been secured.

Käthe Kollwitz died exactly 80 years ago – she is no longer able to comment on current events. Nevertheless, an attempt has been made to make her speak again with the help of innovative technologies. Her diaries contain statements that reveal a fundamental attitude and serve as the basis for the chatbot’s answers. The chatbot’s language system does not respond directly, but makes traits of her character clear. The answers that the AI generates based on the content provided are only partly under human control. The project therefore remains an experiment: for each question, the AI recombines the available data to find a suitable answer – always in the balance between historical authenticity and technical interpretation.

Many families live in the neighbourhood. They pass the museum and cross the park in the direction of the school and daycare centre. Some adults have not yet noticed that the Kollwitz Museum has moved into the theatre building at Charlottenburg Palace. Suddenly their children are talking about Mrs Kollwitz and her works as they pass by.

The visits are realised in close cooperation between MuseumsOutreach and some exceptionally committed educators. They take their responsibility for education seriously and want to open their children’s eyes to culture, creative and independent thinking and personal responsibility far beyond what is generally expected. After all, their aim is to raise reflective, responsible and active citizens of democracy. This fits in well with the aims of the museum, which intends to make the art and values of the socially committed Käthe Kollwitz accessible to all age groups – including the youngest generation. The projects are process-orientated and experimental. Hours of work are invested in an informal, direct interaction with each other, testing what can be achieved when educators and museum educators work together as equals from conception to realisation. The result is a fusion of different expertise that benefits the children.

The preschool children at the ASB Kita am Schlosspark are now experienced museum and cultural travellers under the guidance of kindergarten teacher Johannes Hauenstein. Every Tuesday is their world exploration day, on which they travel all over Berlin. They explore, discover, draw, discuss and invent. Since summer 2024, Käthe Kollwitz has acted as a thematic starting point. After several visits to the Kollwitz-Museum, there were follow-up excursions, for example to Käthe Kollwitz’ great role model, Auguste Rodin and his Thinker in the Alte Nationalgalerie or to historical means of transport in the Technikmuseum.

The children at Schinkel Primary School have already completed several art projects under the guidance of educator and theatre teacher Maren Scheeder. During the sessions of open workshops at the museum, they not only developed their creative skills, but also practised formulating and pursuing ideas and organising themselves democratically. They were particularly interested in the feelings that the works of art evoked in them. Here, the expertise of museum education and theatre education complemented each other perfectly: through physical self-awareness and the re-enactment of certain postures and emotions, the children gained a new way of perceiving Kollwitz’ work.

The opportunity to invite parents and present their own work and new skills is very important to the children. ‘Come and see what we’ve created!’ The invitations were sent out and the parents accepted them – some even several times.

In one family, the younger daughter attends the ASB Kita am Schlosspark. Together with her group, she sang ‘Kita a cappella’ at the foyer of the museum, among other things a song about Mrs Kollwitz.

The older daughter of the family already attends the Schinkel School and has printed pictures in the museum. Together with her schoolmates from the all-day care programme, she is now putting on a short play that corresponds to her works.

As part of the funding program “Cultural Communities – Competencies, Minds, Cooperations,” the Museum for Druckkunst Leipzig was able to realize an exciting and mutually enriching collaboration with the Käthe Kollwitz Museum Berlin. The thematic focus was on the artistic-craftsmanship technique of woodcutting. With an experimental approach, the staff of the two museums investigated the letterpress technique itself, its photographic and cinematic communicability, and its opportunities in museum education.

During mutual museum visits, the staff of both museums exchanged information about the special features of the respective collections and discussed the possibilities of different mediation formats.

Through their respective collection focuses, both museums offer a great opportunity to explore and understand woodblock prints from different perspectives.

Motifs for pamphlets, playing cards or for images of saints had been produced using this printing technique since the end of the 14th century. With the invention of letterpress printing, woodblock printing offered the most suitable method for illustrating books. This was because the printing block could be inserted directly into the typographic typesetting and both could be printed together in a single step. The exhibition at the Museum of Printing Art gives visitors an insight into the history and development of the woodcut printing technique and shows typographic and artistic styles that have been used over time.

In the Käthe Kollwitz Museum, the artistic use of this reproduction technique can be learned specifically through the work of a female artist. The graphic artist and sculptor Käthe Kollwitz (1867-1945) discovered the technique of woodblock printing late in her artistic career. Due to the loss of her son Peter, who was killed in World War I, she began to deal artistically with her grief, her sense of guilt, and the consequences of the war, and in 1922 completed seven woodcuts in the graphic series “War”. Her woodcuts are characterized by clear lines, strong contrasts, and expressive representation. Kollwitz used the woodcut to enhance and emphasize her views, depicting her figures and environments with sharp edges and powerful shadows. The woodcut allowed her to convey her message directly and unambiguously, making her work one of the most remarkable artistic expressions of the 20th century.

A highlight of the cooperation was the two-day joint interdisciplinary workshop led by the artist and political image maker Yili Rojas at the Käthe Kollwitz Museum. There was carving, photography, filming and much discussion. The main focus was on how the technique of woodblock printing can be conveyed photographically and cinematically, and what social and political perspectives can play a role in collaborative work. In addition, the participants talked about the practical mediation possibilities of the woodcut.

The practical workshops in the educational program of the respective museums not only serve to introduce visitors to the technique of woodblock printing, but also give them the opportunity to give their own thoughts an artistic form through a newly learned technique. A digital approach to the subject is a contemporary way for younger generations to appreciate the importance and value of woodblock prints in art history. With mutual exchange, the participants were able to share their expertise and experiences, thus giving each other new ideas.

As a conclusion, a film will be produced in which the artist Susann Hoch presents the woodcut as an artistic printing technique.

Further information is also available on the website of the Museum für Druckkunst Leipzig.