Smerling, Walter (Hrsg.) : Luther und die Avantgarde

Languages: German, English.

The exhibition will be accompanied by a comprehensive catalogue (English / German) with contributions by Heinrich Bedford-Strohm, Markus Gabriel, Kay Heymer, Thomas Kaufmann, Susanne Kleine, Dimitiri Ozerkov, Walter Smerling, Wolfgang Ullrich, Peter Weibel, Xu Dan.

Freedom behind bars: Seventy artists from around the world have transformed the Old Prison in Wittenberg into a temporary museum. The exhibition is augmented by special presentations in two churches in Berlin and Kassel.

International modern art meets the pugnacious visionary Martin Luther: This is the starting point of the exhibition Luther and the Avantgarde. However, the focus lies not on the great reformer as an historical figure, but as a fountain of ideas and a socio-cultural avantgardist of his time. He challenged the existing power structures, highlighted injustices and unleashed a process of reforms, which reverberated across all areas of society. Luther changed the world. Who are the great initiators, the admonishers, the innovators today? Where does art stand now? Are artists the social avantgarde of our time

Artists from across five continents set out to examine the fascination surrounding Luther, and, like the great reformer before them, pre-occupy themselves intensively with the pressing social issues of our day. They articulate their attitudes to freedom and its adversaries, demagogy and resistance, responsibility and tolerance against the backdrop of profound social conflicts and a multishifting global media landscape.

On show are paintings, sculptures, installations, murals, photographs, posters, films, video and sound works and performances. In addition, Bazon Brock is extending an open invitation to attend his Visitor's School in Wittenberg for a period of 40 days.

Luther and the Avantgarde is a cooperation between the Stiftung für Kunst und Kultur (Foundation for Art and Culture, Bonn) and the Reformationsjubiläum 2017 and part of the World Reformation Exhibition.