Alienationist | Eliza Goldox | Franka Kaßner | Elana Katz | Armin Keplinger | Markus Merkle | Marcel Odenbach | Ann Schomburg | ...thabo thindi
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| Northeim, sculptures. Ann Schomburg 2011 |
About the Exhibition
Society and its institutions are constantly evolving. Global outcomes impact local communities every day, and the digital integration into our daily lives blurs familiar boundaries, while military conflicts push for territorial shifts. The concept of national (state) citizenship faces new challenges, as do the institutions that strive for inclusion and solidarity with transnational social movements.
From October 20 to December 15, 2023, the German Artists' Association presents the exhibition "D like German?" featuring nine artists who live and work in Germany. The focus is on the reflection and impact of the term "German" on everyday life and the arts. What meanings are attributed to the term under changing societal conditions? The possibilities of use and the contexts in which the charged word "German" is employed are full of contradictions. There is the political interpretation, which is national and male-patriarchal and simultaneously affects grammar and our use of language. There is the material and often idealistic interpretation that denotes affiliation with a state whose passport and who gets it are contested. In contrast, there are digital nomads who, thanks to newfound mobility, free themselves from the idea of the national. They celebrate social togetherness and often find themselves confronted with an identity politics that fosters isolation and racism.
The nine artists participating in the exhibition "D like German?" – Alienationist, Eliza Goldox, Franka Kaßner, Elana Katz, Armin Keplinger, Markus Merkle, Marcel Odenbach, Ann Schomburg, and ...thabo thindi – examine historical events in German history and their effects on the present in their works. They create contemporary portraits of the interplay between origin and belonging, make current attempts at reassessment, and develop a counter-narrative focused on empowerment and change.
Curated by Philip Kojo Metz
Project Coordination: Sigrid Melchior
