As planned, documenta 15 will take place from June 18 to September 25, 2022. This was announced by Kassel’s Lord Mayor Christian Geselle (SPD) on Friday at a press conference called at short notice in Kassel. In the run-up to an extraordinary meeting of the documenta supervisory board, in view of the global pandemic, there was speculation about a postponement of the art exhibition founded in 1955. The decision of the shareholders was unanimous.
As a justification, Mayor Geselle referred to the “socio-political and cultural responsibility” associated with the documenta. It is about giving a sign of “hope, confidence, faith and love”. With its concept based on participation and community, the documenta belongs precisely to this time of crisis.
Geselle indicated that the shareholders will endeavor to cover the expected additional costs through higher security requirements and lower numbers of participants. Angela Dorn, deputy chairwoman of the documenta supervisory board and Hessian minister for science and art, hoped that the documenta could be a “reflection of its time”. Ade Darmawan, member of the curatorial collective ruangrupa, welcomed the decision of the documenta committees. The curator announced that it would publish the list of the 53 artists who would be invited to the documenta by September at the latest.