Farewell to Dr. Arpad Sölter from the Goethe-Institut Australien

Off to Stockholm: RMIT Gallery Director Suzanne Davies bids a fond farewell to Dr. Arpad Sölter the Director of the Goethe-Institut Australien, as he takes up his new position in Sweden.

From the glorious sunshine and mild weather of Australia to the rugged winters of Scandinavia – RMIT Gallery Director Suzanne Davies was on hand to bid farewell to Dr. Arpad Sölter, Director of the Goethe–Institut Australien, as he left Sydney to take up a position as director of the Goethe–Institut Sweden.

Dr Sölter said that it was with sadness that he announced his departure from Sydney for his relocation to Stockholm on the 26th of July after four years dedicated to promoting cultural exchange between Germany and Australia.

Dr. Arpad-Andreas Sölter shares some fond memories of his time in Australia.

“During this time I had the honour of crossing your paths and working with you. I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your great support, trust and encouragement.”

“I would like to express my gratitude for your interest in the Goethe–Institute and for our wonderful collaboration.”

Ms Davies said Dr Sölter had opened the 2012 RMIT Gallery exhibition New Olds and spoke at the opening of the 2014 exhibition Ulm School of Design ;(opened by Michael Pearce, German Honorary Consul-General of the Federal Republic of Germany in Melbourne) at which he announced that the new exhibition Geniale Dilletanten: subculture in Germany in the 1980s (currently showing in Munich at the Haus der Kunst) would be coming to RMIT Gallery on the first stop of its international tour.

“I have just been to Munich see Geniale Dilletanten and we are in for a real treat in Melbourne when the exhibition opens at RMIT Gallery on 13 November,” Ms Davies said.

“This is going to be another successful partnership with the Goethe Institut, which had its beginnings in the early 1970’s, when most educational institutions in Australia were hungry for information and cultural exchanges with countries other than the UK.”

Ms Davies said that RMIT Gallery and the Goethe-Institut Melbourne, which was founded in 1972, have built on the cross cultural partnership to create an impressive visual presence of Germany in the heart of Melbourne.

“We value our friendship with the Goethe-Institut and the strong links we have made with German artists and curators and wish Dr Sölter all the best for his position in Sweden.”

RMIT Gallery Director Suzanne Davies shares some reflections of the Gallery’s collaboration with the Goethe Institut.

Dr Sölter said that Ms Sonja Griegoschewski would take over as the Director of the Goethe–Institut Australien from the 1st of September 2015.