A widely accepted definition describes culture - contrary to virgin nature – as everything created, transformed or shaped by humans. This includes moral or religious imaginations, social structures as well as technical achievements, economy, landscape design or scientific work. Art is also a part of it, not more and not less.  

Every cultural accomplishment is based on a conceiving and constructive moment. That means, that our ability to reinvent, redesign and to advance in all areas of our life, essentially depends on our cognitive and imaginative power – the creative potential. This is something we can develope and improve or we let it shrivel with fatal consequences.

Dealing with arts developes our conceptual skills in particular! In the arts, we are not given certain targets or a predefined way. Therefor our mind is able to move totally free, try out and experience. "Faults" are not existing. As regards content, art stays beyond valuating systems and offers us almost a Garden Eden to play. Where else can we create visions without fear and restraint? Where else can we get totally involved into the discovery of multiplicity and our inner Self?

Let us understand art as our universal laboratory, as that, what it always was: the Hephaistic forge of our future. 

Gerhard Flekatsch
chairman, artistic director 

Hainfeld Castle in Styria, Austria opens its doors to the public presenting artistic, scientific, educational and social events. Basically this cultural program follows the historic ideas of orientalist Josef Hammer-Purgstall (1774-1856): intercultural dialogue, mediation between different ideologies. In order to realize these thoughts in a contemporary context and to assure continuity with regards to format and content, we established the society bluethenlese (florilegium).