Documenta 2025: Jubilee in Shadow of anti-Semitism controversy!

Documenta 2025: Jubilee in Shadow of anti-Semitism controversy!

DICUMENTA in Kassel, one of the most important art exhibitions worldwide, faces a challenging upheaval. In 2025 the exhibition celebrated its 70th anniversary after it was founded by Arnold Bode in 1955. The documenta originally took place every four years, and has been organized every five years since 1972. The first documenta exhibited works by prominent artists such as Picasso, Kandinsky and Klee, with Arnold Bode headed the first four editions until 1968 and also integrated abstract art forms.

In recent years, the documenta had been very criticized. The artistic direction under the Indonesian artist group Ruangrupa in particular led to a scandal in 2022 when a banner of the group entitled "People’s Justice" showed anti -Semitic caricatures. In it, Mossad members with pork heads and a person with the typical characteristics of a Jew who smoked a cigar and wore an SS hat. These representations caused massive public outrage and led to the work of art, while general director Sabine Schormann was recalled, as daily show.de

anti-Semitism allegations and their consequences

The anti -Semitism allegations that were already loud in the run -up to the exhibition were not unfounded. An anonymously published blog post by the "Alliance against Anti -Semitism Kassel" pointed out the repeated invitation of artists who represented anti -Zionist positions. Despite the massive criticism, Ruangrupa initially reacted cautiously and announced a symposium that was supposed to deal with the topic of anti -Semitism. However, this event was canceled due to the negative reactions. In the open letter, which the curator collective published, it rejected the allegations as unjustified and criticized a Bundestag decision to delete funds for artists who call up a boycott of Israel, as in a post on Germanische Nationalmuseums

realignment and outlook

The effects of the controversy around the documenta are noticeable. A newly created finding commission for the artistic direction of the upcoming Documenta16 resigned in 2023, and Minister of Culture Claudia Roth has called for a "credible restart". Andreas Hoffmann, the managing director of Documenta, said that the exhibition through the scandal had reached an "abyss" and at best look at a "long, deep valley".

For the next documenta in 2027, however, one hopes for a change of mood. The new curator Naomi Beckwith has already awakened positive expectations. Future rolling divisions in the management should help prevent anti -Semitism and racism in art and to create a new, respectful basis of discussion.