art show
After documenta scandal: podium for public discourse
After the removal of the controversial large banner “People’s Justice”, the empty scaffolding and the stands for the cardboard figures, which were also removed, remain on Friedrichsplatz. Photo: Uwe Zucchi/dpa
© dpa-infocom GmbH
In the anti-Semitism debate about documenta fifteen in Kassel, the public discourse on dealing with the scandal is now to begin.
The anti-Semitism scandal at documenta fifteen in Kassel has been making waves in the media since the show began in mid-June. Today the public discourse is to be heralded: the Anne Frank educational institution and the documenta gGmbH sponsoring association are jointly inviting you to a panel discussion on the subject of “Anti-Semitism in Art”.
According to the announcement, participants include the director of the Anne Frank educational institution, Meron Mendel, the scientific director of the education department of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, Doron Kiesel, and Hortensia Völckers, artistic director and board member of the German Federal Cultural Foundation. Hesse’s Minister of Art Angela Dorn (Greens) will therefore give a greeting.
Allegations of anti-Semitism since the beginning of the year
The event is intended to be the start of dealing with the scandal that overshadowed documenta fifteen. A work of art by the Indonesian collective Taring Padi, classified as anti-Semitic, was dismantled just days after the show opened in mid-June. Since the beginning of the year there have been allegations of anti-Semitism against the curating collective Ruangrupa from Indonesia.
A spokeswoman for Mendel said that the podium should make a contribution to dealing with anti-Semitism, especially in relation to the state of Israel, in art and culture and at documenta fifteen. The focus is on the questions: How did the current anti-Semitism incident come about? What does it take now to prevent the polarized situation from escalating further? How can a state-sponsored exhibition of anti-Semitic art be avoided in the future?
In view of the allegations against Ruangrupa that have been smoldering for months, the documenta had already wanted to discuss the topic in several forums with experts from colonialism and racism research, Holocaust and anti-Semitism research as well as art and culture. However, the series was canceled after the Central Council of Jews criticized the composition of the forums and the way anti-Semitism was dealt with. It was said at the time that the focus should first be on the artworks of the documenta.
Other works are currently being examined
After the allegations, Director General Sabine Schormann announced another series of talks on anti-Semitism and racism last week. There should also be a “meeting point” at Friedrichsplatz in Kassel – with the Anne Frank educational center and other civil society actors. The controversial work was set up on Friedrichsplatz before it was first covered and finally dismantled.
In addition, all other works are currently being checked for anti-Semitic content with the help of external experts, including Meron Mendel. Mendel’s commitment is limited to an advisory role, he is not part of a body with decision-making powers, his spokeswoman said.
Who will finance the documenta in the future?
In case of doubt, Kassel also wants to finance the documenta without federal funds. “It is not only financially possible for the city of Kassel, but also ideally possible, especially given the importance of the documenta for our city and urban society, to bear responsibility for this outstanding event without participation from the federal capital,” wrote Lord Mayor Christian Geselle (SPD) to Minister of State for Culture Claudia Roth (Greens). The letter is available from the German Press Agency.
Previously, Roth had called for changes to the structure of the art exhibition as a consequence of the anti-Semitism discussion about the documenta. In essence, the federal government wants more influence. Roth sees the withdrawal of the federal government from the supervisory board in 2018 while maintaining federal funding as a “serious mistake”. That should change again. “In the future, financial support from the federal government should therefore be linked to direct integration into the structures of the documenta.”