Peter Friedl
Bringing attention to both historical and more recent incidents of far-right violence and discrimination, this group exhibition includes work by 13 artists from eight different nations in mediums spanning painting, photography, film and even augmented reality. Offering up immediate one-liners and graphic jokes pointing a critical finger at the slogans of today’s far right are David Perjovschi’s “political ink cartoons”. Ulf Aminde’s multilayered “‘Initiative Herkesin Meydani – Space for Everyone’ The Keupstraße Memorial (Dummy 1.0)” requires some deeper engagement to understand that the architectural model in front of you is augmented reality mock-up of his memorial to two right wing bomb attacks in Cologne. A 1995 film by Peter Friedl documents an illuminated sign he hired in Vienna’s Europaplatz, flashing the words “Kill and Go” in response to the murder of four Romanis the year before. Christine Würmell’s placards dotted throughout the gallery are graffitied sections taken from a 2018 ad campaign by Germany’s Federal Office for Migration and Refugees encouraging migrants to return to their homelands for a fee. The most engaging piece is Candice Breitz’s “Profile” video from 2017 with men and women muddling through what appear to be each other’s statements about their race, gender and sexual identities in a challenge to conservative ideologies. With some works more complex than others, it’s a show that requires a fair bit of reading, but is ultimately worth it.
Global National: Art on Right-Wing Populism Through May 26
