New fuss about the documenta
Following accusations of anti-Semitism against him, the Indian writer and curator Ranjit Hoskoté has resigned from the selection committee for the artistic direction of the upcoming edition of the World Art Exhibition in Kassel. Israeli artist Bracha Lichtenberg Ettinger has also resigned from the committee - apparently due to the current situation in the Middle East. This was announced by documenta gGmbh on Monday.
Hoskoté had come under fire for signing a petition entitled "BDS India" in 2019. BDS stands for "Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions". The campaign calls for a boycott of the state of Israel and Israeli products because of its actions against Palestinians. In intensive discussions, Hoskoté made it clear that he rejects the aims of BDS and does not support the movement, documenta announced. He had also been asked for a statement. The expectation was "that he would distance himself unequivocally from his signature and the anti-Semitic content of the statement". This was followed by Hoskoté's letter on Sunday, in which he declared his resignation.
Resignation due to current situation in the Middle East
According to documenta, Bracha Lichtenberg Ettinger justified her resignation last Friday with the current situation in the Middle East. She emphasized that her move was in no way connected to the current debate surrounding Hoskoté. "Instead, she is referring to the difficulties she faces in contributing to the work of the selection committee after October 7, 2023 and the start of Hamas terror in Israel." Against this background, it had previously asked for an interruption to the search process, which was not implemented at the time "in view of the very advanced search process", it said. The documenta had made further offers of talks immediately after the resignation.
The original six-member search committee is to propose a curator or collective for the next edition of documenta in 2027 by the end of 2023 or early 2024. What the resignations mean for the further process of the committee with regard to the schedule and composition is currently being discussed intensively, it was said.
The documenta fifteen had already been overshadowed by an anti-Semitism scandal. Alongside the Venice Biennale, the show is regarded as the most important exhibition of contemporary art. The 16th edition of documenta is scheduled to take place in Kassel from June 12 to September 19, 2027.
"The current developments surrounding the documenta 16 selection committee show once again how long the road to a consistent reappraisal of documenta 15 still is," explained Andreas Hoffmann, Managing Director of documenta gGmbH. A consistent distancing from any form of anti-Semitism is needed. "The events of summer 2022 must not be repeated. This is the only way to make a real new start after the events of documenta fifteen."
The current controversy surrounding documenta has led to discussions about the role of history in art exhibitions, particularly in relation to conflicts like those in the Middle East. Several artists and curators, such as Ranjit Hoskoté and Bracha Lichtenberg Ettinger, have expressed concerns about how these issues are represented in exhibitions like documenta.
Despite intense negotiations, the resignations of Hoskoté and Ettinger from the selection committee for documenta 2027 have raised concerns about the potential impact on the diversity and inclusivity of the upcoming exhibition. The controversies surrounding documenta 15 and 16 have highlighted the need for thorough cultural sensitivity and a nuanced understanding of complex historical and political contexts in the curation of art exhibitions.
Source: www.dpa.com
