Open Call for Exhibition Projects & D21/Solo
for the D21 annual programme 2024/25
ÜBER MACHT / CONCERNING POWER
The D21 Kunstraum sees itself as a platform and experimental field for local and international artists. It shows group and solo exhibitions on socially relevant themes, primarily in the fields of new media, performance, photography and installation. Further information at: d21-leipzig.de
We live in times of political upheaval with global effects on our everyday lives. The current Russian invasion of Ukraine since February 2022 marks a political upheaval that divides the world into fronts and at the same time creates a global disorder that directly leads to the solidification of old values and the creation of new ideologies. Marx defines ideology in the narrower sense as social norms for justifying one’s own actions and evaluating those of others. A central point in Foucault’s approach to power is that he goes beyond politics and sees power as an everyday, socialised and embodied phenomenon that also occurs in all social interactions between people. Accordingly, power results from a structure of relationships and only comes to fruition in actions.
In the German language, the word “power” combines unusually many-layered and complex meanings. On the one hand, it means domination and violence, but on the other hand it also means power and strength as well as the ability to shape and form something. Last but not least, it is also to be understood as an imperative, a call to action. Starting from this context, we would like to reflect on the concept of power and the power relationship in the context of the current time in the annual programme 2024/25 and furthermore question whether a new definition of power can be developed. How can artistic and collective activities and positions create experimental spaces to rethink current power structures?
Inspired by the ambiguity of the word “power”, the D21 invites artists and cultural practitioners to realise exhibition projects that question the conditions and manifestations of power and its modes of representation and that will be on view at the D21 for approximately three months at a time. We are looking forward to a variety of project proposals — between effectiveness and repression, between powerlessness and omnipotence — on the topics of power narratives / the question of power / the image of power. In addition to the exhibition, proposals for an accompanying programme can also be made. We also welcome artistic projects that deal with historical events in the city on the theme outlined above, especially during the Cold War period.
Application for exhibition projects
1. concept paper with the following information:
• Concept description (max. 800 words)
• Description of own practice (400 words)
• List of participants to be invited (artists, speakers with short biography and photo(s) of their work)
2. CV of the concept authors
3. budget sketch
Application for solo exhibition (D21/Solo**)
1. artist statement on working methods, artistic approach, question(s)/works to be shown during the exhibition (max. 1 page)
2. CV of the concept authors
3. portfolio of previously realised works in PDF format with meaningful texts and images
4. budget sketch
Please send everything in one complete PDF (no individual pages) (max. 10 pages; data volume max. 12MB);
use a permanently usable download link; please provide time-based media such as video/sound exclusively as a link (do not send original files!)).
The realisation of the project is subject to funding.
Submissions can be sent in German or English to: office@d21-leipzig.de by 10.07.2023. The selection is made by the current D21 advisory board.
**With the D21/Solo format, D21 would like to give one artist/artist group the opportunity to deal with the theme of the year
in a solo exhibition. The call for entries is aimed at artists of all ages who live in Central Germany (Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Thuringia)
and have completed an academic artistic training or can show in their portfolio several years of activity in artistic work as well as in
exhibition practice. The exhibition includes curatorial support, production and fee costs, travel and transport costs as well as a catalogue,
which will be developed individually with the artist in accordance with the work.