The movie adaption of The Lord of the Rings adds: „Much that once was is lost, for none now live who remember it.“ I have always liked these words. They do not present change as a human-made or negative phenomenon, but as a natural one. And it needs an active, conscious effort to preserve what might otherwise be lost to change. Change is inevitable, but memory is not.

If we compare the first HLF in 2013 with this year‘s edition, it is unquestionable how much has changed, in particular in our scientific landscape. For instance, the phrase ‚AI‘ cannot be found in a single laureate lecture in 2013. This year, it already appears three times in the very first programme item. And going back to the Tolkien quote, I wonder how we can adapt to this ever-changing world. What changes should we embrace? And how can we identify what is worth preserving?

In this year’s exhibition, Gestalt – 17 patterns of change, we try to find answers! We invite you to explore the many meanings of change. For this exhibition, young researchers from this year’s 13th HLF were invited to create works of art inspired by their own research and combined with the leitmotif of change.

In this catalogue, we have the immense pleasure of sharing three essays written by HLF 2025 Alumni and ISAP artists Chayma Nssibi, Halima Yusuf and Joshua Hussaini. They explore change in different contexts: career, personal and scientific changes. Lovely stuff!

Welcome to the exhibition! We hope you enjoy!
Demian Nahuel Goos