A bang in Kassel: The ex-members of the documenta selection committee have explained the reasons for their resignation. And they have it all. Now the first calls are being made for the world art show to be postponed.
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Stefanie Kuester
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World’s largest art exhibition documenta in danger?
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Is the world’s largest art show in Kassel about to end? After the remaining four members of the search committee for the management of documenta 16 resigned on Thursday, they have now given the reasons for their resignation in a “Letter of Resignation”.
The central statement of the paper: Simon Njami, Gong Yan, Kathrin Rhomberg and María Inés Rodríguez believe that a documenta is impossible in the current political climate in Germany.
Art freedom still exists in Germany?
It says that the dynamics of the last few days have made the members doubt whether artistic freedom in Germany will still exist for future editions of the documenta. The background to these concerns is the discrediting of Ranjit Hoskoté. This was not questioned.
Hoskoté only left the search committee on Monday. The background to his departure were allegations of anti-Semitism against him. In 2019, he is said to have signed a statement supporting the anti-Israel BDS movement.
“The dynamics of the last few days, with their unchallenged media and public discrediting of our colleague Ranjit Hoskote, which forced him to resign from the Finding Committee, make us very doubtful if this prerequisite for any coming edition of documenta is currently given in Germany .”
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Against this background, the documenta symposium will take place this weekend. It is entitled “Documenta Fifteen as a turning point? Art, politics, public”. The symposium can be viewed live on the Internet track.
At the opening event on Friday evening, Art Minister Angela Dorn (Greens) warned of “growing intellectual anti-Semitism”. This represents Hamas’ terror as a legitimate response to Israel’s policies. It should not be the case that Jews all over the world have to fear for their lives every day. With a view to the future of the documenta, the minister spoke out in favor of a thorough examination of the scandal of the previous show. “The shadow of documenta 15 must not lie on documenta 16,” she said.
Support for documenta and managing director Hoffmann
The city of Kassel and the state of Hesse, as shareholders, had previously supported the documenta and the Museum Fridericianum gGmbH and their managing director Andreas Hoffmann in a written statement to the hr.
They support documenta gGmBH and Hoffmann “fully in their clear stance” and support the efforts “to rebuild the trust that was lost due to the anti-Semitic incidents at documenta 15”. It was also heard from circles in Kassel town hall that the future of the documenta was seen as being massively endangered.
Managing Director Hoffmann: Commitment to the Kassel location
In an interview with hr, documenta managing director Andreas Hoffmann showed understanding for the decision of the members of the search committee. It is now a matter of continuing the process of coming to terms with documenta fifteen.
Hoffmann was clearly committed to the Kassel location. There was never any debate that the documenta would no longer take place here. He did not want to comment on a postponement because a new commission now has to be found. The deadline for June 2027 is currently still set, said Hoffmann.
Claudia Roth calls for a credible new start
In response to a request from HR, Minister of State for Culture Claudia Roth (Greens) made a written statement about the resignation of the search committee. She is pushing for a credible restart of the art exhibition. To achieve this, the documenta must also be repositioned with regard to its organizational structures.
Roth said she could understand the search committee’s decision: “Without sensible structures and clear chains of responsibility, their difficult task could hardly be accomplished.” Roth did not comment on the main accusation made by the search committee.
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Future of the documenta world art show uncertain
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The federal government is ready to work on a realignment. She will speak to Mayor Schoeller in the coming days. As soon as the formation of a government in Hesse is complete, she wants to seek discussions there too.
Roth once again highlighted the relevance of the documenta. It is “one of the most important exhibitions for contemporary art, which is also a showcase for Germany in the world,” said Roth. She called for everyone to work together to ensure that documenta 2027 is a complete success. “We need art more than ever, we need protected spaces for art, we need its debates and impulses for an open society.”
Anti-Israel and anti-Semitism are not an “expression of freedom”
Nicole Deitelhoff is concerned about whether the schedule can be adhered to after the resignation of the search committee. The chairwoman of the committee responsible for the scientific support of the documenta understands what the four members have formulated in their statement – with reservations.
Their understanding ends where the letter suggests that one can no longer speak freely about art and the relationship with Israel in Germany, said Deitelhoff. That is certainly possible, unless one understands “Israelphobia and anti-Semitism as an expression of freedom.”
“Experience polarizing debate since October 7th”
“We are experiencing an incredibly polarizing debate after October 7th, where it is very difficult to differentiate between the horror of October 7th and the condemnation of Hamas for the attack on Israeli civilians and the sometimes problematic Israeli attacks in Gaza to speak,” she told the hr.
Deitelhoff believes that you are put directly into one of the two camps: “Either you are for Israel and for Jews or you are against them, you are anti-Semitic.” These reflexes in the debate are problematic.
A commitment to Israel’s right to exist or a ban on anti-Semitism is not a political requirement, but rather a “basis for a free debate among equals.” It is not a problem for artistic freedom to join this commitment, Deitelhoff continued.
“Fundamental decisions necessary”
There is a strong pro-Palestinian, anti-Israel attitude in the cultural sector, said Deitelhoff. It is problematic when the impression is given that artistic freedom is threatened. “The answer cannot be that we allow a little anti-Semitism.”
She doubted that the search committee would question Germany as a location for the documenta as a whole. Rather, her impression is that the statement relates primarily to the current point in time.
The documenta must now “make fundamental decisions”. She should think about postponing the next show for at least a year and also think of new ways to find artistic direction.
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