anti-Semitic motives
Again anti-Semitism allegations against documenta fifteen
After the opening, visitors to documenta fifteen stand in front of the Fridericianum, whose pillars were painted black by the Romanian artist Dan Perjovschi and inscribed with white symbols and signs on themes such as peace, solidarity and sustainability. Photo: Uwe Zucchi/dpa
© dpa-infocom GmbH
Anti-Semitism allegations against documenta fifteen have been sparking debates for a long time. A few days after the opening, a work by an Indonesian artist collective caused a scandal.
Shortly after the opening of documenta fifteen, new allegations fueled the anti-Semitism debate surrounding the show, which had been smoldering for months.
The director of the Anne Frank educational institution, Meron Mendel, asked those responsible for the world art exhibition in Kassel to remove a contribution by the Indonesian artist collective Taring Padi because of anti-Semitic motifs.
Among other things, a soldier with a pig’s face can be seen on the large-scale banner on Friedrichsplatz. He wears a scarf with a Star of David and a helmet with the inscription “Mossad”. That’s the name of the Israeli foreign intelligence agency. “This is a clear border crossing,” said Mendel on Monday of the German Press Agency. “These pictures leave absolutely no room for interpretation. This is clear anti-Semitic agitation.”
The work must be covered immediately or, at best, removed, he demanded. In the second step, there needs to be a dialogue about what went wrong and where the blind spots of this documenta are.
Allegations repeatedly denied
Months ago, an alliance in Kassel accused the Indonesian curator collective Ruangrupa of also involving organizations that supported the cultural boycott of Israel or were anti-Semitic. Ruangrupa and the documenta firmly rejected the allegations. Later, the Central Council of Jews in Germany also got involved. A series of discussions intended to calm people down has been cancelled.
So far, Mendel had backed the documenta in the debate. He said he saw no anti-Semitism there, but criticized the lack of positions by Jewish artists from Israel. Mendel emphasized on Monday that not the entire exhibition should be described as anti-Semitic. “You have to differentiate. Something must have gone wrong. But that shouldn’t happen.” The responsibility for ensuring this now lies with the curators and the management of documenta fifteen.
clear words
Minister of State for Culture Claudia Roth also found clear words: “In my view, this is anti-Semitic imagery,” said the Green politician. “I’ll say it again: human dignity, protection against anti-Semitism, as well as against racism and any form of misanthropy are the foundations of our coexistence, and this is where artistic freedom finds its limits.” The documenta must immediately make this clear to the curators and artists and draw “the necessary conclusions”.
“My personal impression is that there is anti-Semitic imagery here,” said the deputy chair of the documenta supervisory board, Hesse’s art minister Angela Dorn (Greens). She therefore immediately contacted the general director of the documenta, Sabine Schormann, with the aim of clarifying the matter as quickly as possible – if necessary with the help of experts on anti-Semitism from academia.
According to Dorn, Schormann has already taken action. She expects “that we, as shareholders of documenta gGmbH, will soon deal with the results in a special meeting,” explained the minister. “I have always said that anti-Semitic resentment and anti-Semitism should not be expressed at the documenta.” The documenta and Ruangrupa themselves have emphasized this again and again.
Crossed the red line at documenta
The President of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, Josef Schuster, was also outraged on Monday. The Council had been criticized from many quarters for its concerns about this year’s documenta. He was even indirectly accused of racism. “However, it doesn’t matter where artists who spread anti-Semitism come from,” emphasized Schuster. Artistic freedom ends where misanthropy begins. “This red line was crossed at the documenta.” Those responsible must now meet their social responsibility and draw conclusions, he demanded.
The AfD in the state parliament of Hesse even demanded that documenta fifteen be ended. The anti-Semitic art must be removed immediately and Schormann resign, said Frank Grobe, cultural policy spokesman for the AfD parliamentary group. “She is responsible for the fact that anti-Semitic pictures are shown in Germany of all places at the world’s most important exhibition for contemporary art.”
Against the background of the debate about the 15th edition of the documenta, Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier had already emphasized the limits of artistic freedom at the opening of the show on Saturday. It is an important pillar of democratic societies, but it also has its limits. “Art can be offensive, it should trigger debates.” Criticism of Israeli policy is allowed. “But where criticism of Israel turns into questioning of its existence, the limit has been crossed,” he had said.
The documenta, which has been in Kassel since 1955, is considered the world’s most important exhibition of contemporary art alongside the Venice Biennale. It is only held every five years. The show lasts until September 25th.