Studio Bonn is the discourse format of the Bundeskunsthalle. Together with experts from various work areas and knowledge practices, we discuss the central social challenges of our present and encouraging perspectives for possible futures.
The focus is on the desire to think together, the appreciative exchange of conflicting positions and perspectives, and the work on a shared understanding across conceptual differences, disciplinary boundaries and ideological horizons. In this sense, Studio Bonn sees itself as a public contribution to democratic self-understanding about how to deal together with crises and conflicts, about social change processes and cultural design potential.
Studio Bonn takes place live in the Bundeskunsthalle. In order to make the content accessible to a broad public, the recordings are made available as videos and sometimes as podcasts in the Bundeskunsthalle media library and on YouTube.
Democracy thrives on open exchange and mutual understanding on fundamental issues of coexistence and the common good. Ideally, such an exchange is characterized by objective argumentation, attentive listening and self-reflective willingness to compromise. The goal is objectively reasonable results that are recognized by all those involved for good reasons and are implemented in practice in the long term.
All of this no longer seems to be a matter of course: politically negotiated decisions are regularly questioned and revised when there is a change of government. Particular interest groups try to assert their influence in questionable and sometimes violent ways. Radical views and inflammatory calls are spread under the invocation of freedom of expression. Exposed actors are personally attacked, especially on social media. AI-supported chatbots are deliberately trying to influence the mood in society through disinformation campaigns and to manipulate political elections. But all of this does not have to stay that way...
A mentsh is a mentsh is the title of this series of conversations with Nicole Deitelhoff and Meron Mendel about dealing with anti-Semitism, racism and post-colonialism. Terror and war in the Middle East are putting a strain on the social climate – also in Germany and Europe. Anti-Semitic incidents are increasing – even in artistic and scientific contexts. How should you deal with it? How should one deal with conflicts and sensitivities, real and imagined injuries, vagueness and contradictions? How can we talk to one another and work together with any degree of integrity? From human to human?
The title is based on the artwork of the artist Naneci Yurdagül – Untitled – a mentsh is a mentsh (2020), who designed the stage set for this series.
Where is everyone? This Studio Bonn series asks about quiet quitting and empty theater. What remains of a society if nobody goes to work or into the museum anymore?
In Global Nerve Systems scientists, artists, and public officials discuss which senses we need to sharpen and which new narratives and world views are necessary in order to face coming disasters.
The thematic cycle Exchange Values revolves around the question of what has what value in society and why, and how the dynamics of value formation have changed. In particular, it is about the opportunities of blockchain technology for new models of participation.
The thematic cycle The Common Ground poses the question of the general: What holds societies together? Which technologies and institutions allow productive debates about the future? And what role do art and culture play in this?
Dr. Sven Sappelt
Curator for Discourse & Head of Studio Bonn
sappelt (at) bundeskunsthalle.de
