The Documenta is one of the most important contemporary art exhibitions worldwide.
In advance already, Jewish organisations among others had warned of antisemitism at this year’s “documenta 15”.
At documenta 15 there were then antisemitic excesses in parts of art installations. In an installation entitled “Guernica Gaza”, the Jewish state was equated with the Nazi regime. In a huge hidden-object picture by the Indonesian artists’ collective “Taring Padi”, exhibited on a square in the middle of Kassel, openly antisemitic stereotypes were served: on the hidden-object picture a Jew is depicted vampire-like with sidelocks, fangs, a snake’s tongue, bloodshot eyes and an SS rune on his hat. And a Mossad agent, pictorially depicted with a Jewish Star of David, is characterised by a pig’s face. The art installation has now been dismantled, but the discussion is not over.
We talk about this topic with our two guests Ilana Katz, chairwoman of the Jewish Community in Kassel, and Volker Beck, president of the German-Israeli Society.
Moderation: Dr Maja Vataman
