Exhibitions – Kassel – documenta fifteen: commitment to artistic direction – culture

by time news

Kassel (dpa) – After the anti-Semitism debate of the past few months, those responsible for documenta fifteen made a clear commitment to artistic freedom and to the Indonesian curator collective Ruangrupa, which has come under criticism. “From the historical responsibility of the Federal Republic of Germany, there is a very clear position on anti-Semitism and Israel’s right to exist,” emphasized the chairman of the supervisory board, Kassel’s mayor Christian Geselle (SPD), at the opening press conference. He warned to take a close look and not to judge hastily. Questions are discussed that are not up for debate at all, but have been imposed by the media.

An alliance had accused Ruangrupa of including organizations that supported the cultural boycott of Israel or were anti-Semitic in the show. Ruangrupa and the documenta firmly rejected the allegations. Since then, the discussion has flared up again and again.

The documenta has always been a place of exchange and heated discussion, explained the Hessian Minister of Art and Deputy Chairwoman of the Supervisory Board Angela Dorn (Greens). She emphasized again that anti-Semitism has no place at documenta. The same applies to racist hostilities and attacks, as the curators and artists have experienced.

Alongside the Venice Biennale, the documenta is regarded as the most important international presentation of contemporary art. 14 collectives, organizations and institutions as well as 54 artists will present their works at 32 locations until September 25th. The documenta is initially reserved for trade visitors and journalists for three days. On Saturday, the major exhibition, which takes place every five years, will be ceremonially opened to the public. Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Hesse’s Prime Minister Boris Rhein and the Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia, Arif Havas Oegroseno, have announced their attendance.

Minister of State for Culture Claudia Roth also defended the Ruangrupa artist collective against allegations of anti-Semitism. “Coming from a certain country should not lead to suspicions of possibly being anti-Semitic,” said the Green politician in Berlin, referring to the documenta. Indonesia is one of the countries that does not have diplomatic relations with Israel. “I find that bad. But it doesn’t mean that an artist or collective from Indonesia is per se suspicious.”

At the center of Ruangrupa’s artistic concept are collective work, solidarity, participation and orientation towards the common good instead of individualism, greed for profit and the striving for power, explained documenta general director Sabine Schormann. Humour, generosity, trust and independence are common values. Ruangrupa is critical of the Western ideal of the artist as a genius, the laws of the art market and institutions in general. “The ongoing debate that has accompanied the preparations since the beginning of the year has so far largely ignored this core of the concept and thus risks dealing with a documenta that essentially tests other concepts for the issues of the 21st century.”

Minister of State for Culture Roth sees in Kassel the criteria of traditionally shaped cultural considerations under scrutiny. “I’m looking forward to the confrontation. It will be a new, very provocative, dissolving form of art and culture,” she said in Berlin. Roth spoke of a productive debate. “Politics don’t interfere: What is good art or bad art?”

The Hessian Minister of Art, Dorn, emphasized the globally significant role of the documenta as an avant-garde exhibition. Ruangrupa’s artistic approach gives impetus to think and shape society differently. The participating artists and collectives each contributed their very own perspective, particularly that of the Global South.

In addition to a round of talks with the curator collective Ruangrupa, the press conference also included a narrative performance by the Indonesian artist Agus Nur Amal PMTOH, which set the mood for this year’s documenta and its art. The focus of the show is the Indonesian Lumbung architecture. In the island state, “lumbung” is the word for a communal rice barn in which the surplus harvest is stored for the benefit of the community. Ruangrupa wants to transfer this tradition of sharing to the world art exhibition in Kassel. One sees fewer pictures and sculptures, but all the more performances and action art as well as films and installations. The list of participants hardly includes any big names from the art scene.

The show covers museums, squares, parks and halls. In addition to the classic venues in the center such as the Museum Fridericianum and the documenta hall, the locations also include a boat rental on the Fulda and a former company site as well as an old indoor swimming pool in the east of Kassel. The documenta thus extends beyond the city of Kassel.

You can also listen to documenta fifteen. “lumbung Radio” is an open internet radio consisting of an intermunicipal network of different radio stations and audio practices. The station broadcasts music and art independent of the time zone and in several languages.

© dpa-infocom, dpa:220615-99-674522/4

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