The psyche as a political theatre

At the centre of this international exhibition lay the belief that political reality was reflected in the human psyche. Artists explore – often subconsciously – life-changing events which they aesthetically express in uniquely personal ways. The exhibition at the Staatliche Kunsthalle Baden-Baden presented works of art by American, African, Asian, Arabic and European artists which portray such mental models in their sculptures, drawings, installations, photos and videos. The French artist Kader Attia, for example, takes issue with the false assumption that all cultures are based on similar psychological structures. He highlights the danger of transferring Western views of psychology to the inhabitants of African countries and demonstrates how geopolitical upheavals can occasionally have an opposite effect on one’s psychological stability. A series of local and international collaborations have provided additional scientific and clinical aspects and offered visitors multiple perspectives on the topic.

Artistic director: Johan Holten (DK)
Curator: Luisa Heese
Artists: Kader Attia (FR), Heidi Bucher, Omer Fast, Dan Finsel (US), Samara Golden, Liz Magic Laser, Jim Shaw, Wang Tuo, Jorinde Voigt, Chen Zhe
With works from the Prinzhorn Collection, by: Ludwig Berthold, Else Blankenhorn, Minna Köchler, Wilhelm Werner, Hyacinth Freiherr von Wieser