Art for Peace: Kluge shows the horrors of war in Chemnitz

Art for Peace: Kluge shows the horrors of war in Chemnitz

In Chemnitz, the longing for peace is the focus of an insightful exhibition by the renowned filmmaker and author Alexander Kluge. Under the title “Whoever wins, falls,” the Neue Sächsische Galerie draws a line between war and peace and presents current reflections on the current geopolitical situation. As the Free press According to reports, the exhibition is described as a living implementation of Karl Schmidt-Rottluff's idea due to its haunting design, when he said: "Every thought that is not called peace today is a crime." This sentence dates from 1917 and has lost none of its urgency.

The exhibition, which can be seen until September 21, 2025, includes films, texts and A.I.-controlled image revisions that Kluge integrated into the show as part of his sensitive consideration of the topic of war and peace. The 90-year-old Kluge, who himself experienced war in his youth, allows us to take a deep look into the absurdity and complexity of war. Loud Time He sees war as a “demon” that escapes control and warns that the belief that the war can be won is an illusion.

Personal experiences and their meaning

Alexander Kluge draws parallels to his own experiences, such as the bombing of his hometown of Halberstadt when he was 13 years old. He vividly remembers the panic, the noises and the chaotic thoughts during those attacks. The war in Ukraine, which he follows through the media, becomes for him another example of the unimaginable reality that people have to live through while looking for an emergency exit. He makes this clear when he describes the flight of people in Kiev, as in a recent article by the Federal Agency for Civic Education.

Kluge is aware that there is no easy solution. He criticizes the arms deliveries to Ukraine and instead calls for peaceful dialogue. "It's not enough to just act militarily. We also have to understand the other side's perspective," he explains. This healthy skepticism could help set the stage for a new and more pacifist approach to putting the pain of war behind us.

An appeal for the future

In times when conflicts and tensions seem omnipresent, Alexander Kluge's message is more important than ever. He calls for war to be put to sleep through stories, as the storyteller Scheherazade did in “A Thousand and One Nights.” Kluge proposes to develop an experimental awareness of the complexity of war, while at the same time addressing the loss of basic trust and the physical sensations during such tragedies. This exhibition is therefore a significant cultural event and a necessary step to raise awareness of peace and understanding in our society.