World Jewish Congress Vice President, Maram Stern, has condemned the Kassel art exhibition documenta after alleged anti-semitism.
Stern went on to call the recently-concluded exhibition “one of the most serious cases of anti-Semitism in German post-war history.” The statement was part of an op-ed by Stern in Rheinische Post, a German magazine. Stern also added that Claudia Roth (Commissioner of Culture, Germany) should have issued an unconditional apology for the same, along with the media. It must be noted that during the controversy, Roth advocated for artistic freedom.
The 15th edition of the prestigious documenta became embroiled in controversy over alleged anti-semitic bias and content. The allegations first surfaced in January, when ruangrupa, an Indonesian art collective participating in the exhibition, was accused of being anti-semitic. The allegations were based on the fact that the Jakarta-based art group had ties with BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions), a pro-Palestine movement. At the time, the exhibition didn’t do anything about the allegations.
However, things escalated in mid-June when another Indonesian art collective, Taring Padi, unveiled People’s Justice (2002). While the large-sized artwork dealt with the atrocities under the Suharto regime in Indonesia, many pointed out the Nazi-era symbols and Jewish stereotypes used in the work. While the art group removed the work and issued an apology, the controversy kept gaining momentum since then. In July, Sabine Schormann (director, Documenta) was forced to resign. Finally, in September, documenta pre-emptively decided to close for this year.
