Artists: Wiktor Dyndo, Mathieu Asselin, Norbert Bisky, Tanja Boukal, Jonas Burgert, Janusz Czech, Matthias Deumlich, Beate Engl, Philip Götze, Heather Dewey-Hagborg/Chelsea Manning, Jakub Janovský, Franka Kaßner, Jon Kessler, Iñigo Manglano-Ovalle, Sholeh Mohammadi & Lisa Schlenker, Milo Rau, Oliver Ressler, Klaus Staeck, Wolfgang Tillmans, The Yes Men, Peter Weibel, Peter Weibel & Hotel Morphila Orchester, Umut Yasat
Vernissage of the exhibition: 10 October 2019, 7 pm
Various forms of democracy have developed over the past 2,500 years or so throughout Europe and other parts of the world. However, the historical, social and cultural background to these forms of democracy differ from country to country just as widely as their requirements, conditions, and democratic standards. What they have in common is that democracy is based on constantly finding a balance between the individual and the community, freedom and order, equality and leadership. Currently, however, there is a general feeling that the concept of authority is shifting and that constitutional democracy is under threat and destabilized by the structural changes in modern society, complex global issues, digitization, populism, fake news and those who seek to challenge accepted wisdom and universal values.
The “Demoncracy” exhibition sees artists from around the world search for the demons of democracy: Are they political representatives, business conglomerates, or people themselves? The works on display highlight the struggle for the basic pillars, laws and stability of democratic constitutions and encourage us to question our understanding of democracy today.
The exhibition is being held in partnership with the Werner Wild Foundation, the Ornamenta Association, agora42, EMMA Pforzheim Center for Creativity, and Pforzheim University.