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Sign at the 15th Documenta in Kassel: »Only clear confessions help against anti-Semitism«
Photo: Swen Pförtner / picture alliance / dpa
Are the organizers of Documenta 2022 dealing appropriately with the topic of anti-Semitism?
Josef Schuster, President of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, expressed clear criticism in a letter to Minister of State for Culture Claudia Roth (Greens).
The Hessian Minister of Art Angela Dorn (Greens) has now rejected the allegations – and offered talks.
Earlier this year, an alliance accused the curatorial collective Ruangrupa of including organizations that supported the cultural boycott of Israel or were anti-Semitic in the 15th edition of the exhibition.
The Documenta then announced expert forums to discuss the topic.
In his letter to Roth, Schuster criticized, among other things, the staffing of the forums.
He complains that the umbrella organization of the Jewish community is not involved.
"Only clear confessions and much more, decisive political action at every level of politics, art, culture and society help against anti-Semitism," says the letter to the Green politician, which is available to the German Press Agency.
»Anti-Semitism is one of the most urgent problems«
Dorn said on Friday: "I have the impression that there is a wealth of expertise on dealing with anti-Semitism in a cultural context on the panels, from academic institutions, practical work and an artistic point of view." For discussions, as well as the expertise can be used by the Jewish community, she is always available as a representative of the State of Hesse on the Documenta Supervisory Board.
Dorn emphasized that she fully shares the Central Council's concerns about anti-Semitism, which unfortunately still burdens Jewish life in Germany.
"Anti-Semitism is one of the most pressing problems of living together in our diverse society." It shouldn't find a place either on the street or in culture.
It is therefore very important in the run-up to the Documenta to bring together knowledgeable voices with different perspectives on the issues of anti-Semitism in the context of art.
The chairman of the supervisory board of the documenta, Kassel's mayor Christian Geselle (SPD), announced on Friday that he was behind the documenta and the artistic direction.
'I don't know the contents of Mr Schuster's fire letter to Mrs Roth.
I can't see any tilt in favor of anti-Semitism from the composition of the panels.« Ruangrupa and the Documenta have positioned themselves very clearly and unequivocally against anti-Semitism, racism, right-wing extremism and violent religious fundamentalism as well as against any kind of discrimination.
The Central Council wants to be sure that “no anti-Semitic works of art will be exhibited and no anti-Semitism and hatred of Israel will be propagated” within the framework of the Documenta and that “an expert committee should monitor this”.
Both the Documenta organizers and the politicians in Berlin reject encroachments on artistic freedom.
ime/dpa