Around the world, many existing democracies are in a crisis: freedoms and options for political participation are being restricted or their use is declining, while the influence of so-called global players on political decisions is growing. This guest-curated exhibition takes the vulnerability of the basic democratic order in current systems as a starting point. In various media—including painting, sound, video, and installations—it illuminates problem areas such as burgeoning right-wing populism around the world, the mediatisation of politics, and the tension between inclusion and exclusion in decision-making processes. It also reflects on new forms of political participation and the relationship between extra-parliamentary protest and official politics.

The artistic positions of the nine artists are complemented by paintings created in an open studio in the Moria refugee camp on Lesbos. In addition, the project is augmented by the Assembly RST, which is conceived as a brainstorming session that addresses various aspects of the exhibition in free association. The accompanying publication is being produced in cooperation with Florian Malzacher and will take the form of a newspaper, a medium that contributes to the democratic process of decision making.

Curated by Raimar Stange

The accompanying publication, edited by Raimar Stange and Florian Malzacher, is available in the exhibition and online as a PDF. 

Supported by