New exhibition at Friedrich Schiller University Jena explores nightlife’s social, cultural, and safety aspects; includes research by students, ethnographic vignettes, audio, ‘Nightdrawings’ artwork, party venues, interactive elements, free admission. Drunk in the hazy light of night Drunk in the hazy light of night Published:22 April 2026, 13:00| By: Stephan Laudien »The night isn’t just for sleeping; the night is there for things to happen,« went a popular song in the late 1930s. Little has changed in the message of the song to this day; the night is still imbued with the magic of the extraordinary, of the literally out-of-the-ordinary. A new exhibition at Friedrich Schiller University Jena now focuses specifically on the party night with its promises and dangers. The exhibition »The Night in the City of Light« opens on 23 April in the exhibition space in the main university building (Fürstengraben 1) and runs until 1 June. In his bag are a whistle, pepper spray and condoms »The night, with all its possibilities and dangers, has hardly been studied scientifically,« says Prof. Dr Victoria Hegner. The cultural anthropologist from the University of Jena spent two semesters working with students to address this gap in research and explore the experiential realm of the night. The results of this work are on display in the new exhibition. The aim is to take visitors on a journey into the night, into the world of dancing and partying, to the venues of the parties and into that twilight realm between day and night that the “Spätis” represent. Unlike the daytime, the party night is characterised by different behaviour, different emotions, and a different approach to time and the body, says Victoria Hegner. Night work, on the other hand, is more of an attempt to carry the normality of daytime work into the night. The specific dangers of the night are not ignored. Thus, female night owls quite naturally pack self-defence tools into their handbags, including pepper spray and a whistle, but also condoms. Night-time scenes captured in »Nightdrawings« Visitors to the exhibition can immerse themselves in Jena’s nightlife through a sensory and atmospheric experience at audio stations. Ethnographic vignettes also offer a glimpse into well-known party venues such as Rosenkeller, Kassablanca and Café Wagner. »The focus is not on perfection, but on spontaneity and the intoxicating,« says Victoria Hegner. Another nocturnal observation takes centre stage in the exhibition: the disappearance of contours and clear images; only what is illuminated and the light itself are visible. Here, the students—following an idea by the London-based artist Chantal Meng—have created so-called »Nightdrawings« and captured Jena’s nocturnal scenery in all its lighting conditions. These are also on display in the exhibition. There’ll be dancing at the exhibition opening The exhibition »Die Nacht in der Lichtstadt« opens on 23 April at 6 pm. To mark the occasion, a DJ will be playing, light refreshments will be served, and there’ll be a chance to dance. The exhibition is open in the main building of the University of Jena from Monday to Saturday, 10 am to 6 pm; a supporting programme is being organised. Admission is free. Share this pageShare this page via emailShare this page via WhatsAppShare this page on FacebookShare this page on LinkedIn Share this page via email Share this page via WhatsApp Share this page on Facebook Share this page on LinkedIn --- Source: https://www.uni-jena.de/en/406824/drunk-in-the-hazy-light-of-night sdDatePublished: 2026-04-22T12:53:00Z Topics: art exhibition, university, dance, college and university Locations: Jena, Thüringen, Germany, Bexleyheath, United Kingdom, England