Period (opening hours):Wed.-Mon. 12:00-19:00
Venue:Haus der Kulturen der Welt
John-Foster-Dulles-Allee 10
10557 Berlin
Partner:Funded by the Capital Cultural Fund in cooperation with the Federal Agency for Civic Education (bpb) and the research project Digital Blackface. Racialised Affect Patterns of the Digital (funded by the Volkswagen Foundation)
The exhibition Global Fascisms is a critical examination of the aesthetic, social and political dynamics of fascism, focussing on its impact and ideological functioning. A key aim is to understand fascism not only as a historical phenomenon, but also as an ongoing global threat that goes beyond a historically limited definition and manifests itself today in different political, cultural and social contexts. The exhibition focuses on historical and contemporary contexts in which far-right ideologies thrive, scrutinising concepts such as 'identity', 'community' and 'belonging'.
The exhibition brings together works by around fifty international artists who address the rise of fascist thought in a variety of media, including painting, film, performance, discourse, publications and digital formats. Eli Cortiñas, Professor of Media Art at the HGB, is represented in the exhibition with the work 'Surrender, Dorothy! Historical artworks complement the group exhibition, revealing surprising continuities between past and present. The exhibition offers insights into the seductive affects and aesthetics of fascist ideologies and at the same time analyses the social and technological aspects inherent in these dynamics.
From the role of 'social media' in creating echo chambers that reinforce fascisation, to the invocation of nostalgic myths of 'golden ages' as a means of authoritarian rhetoric, the exhibitionrhetoric, the exhibition explores the mechanisms that sustain these ideologies and highlights the interplay between issues such as economic inequality, migration and the politicisation of religion in fuelling nationalist affects. Through the integration of art and rigorous interdisciplinary research, Global Fascisms promotes new ways of understanding and engaging with these pressing issues at a critical moment when constituencies worldwide are turning dramatically to right-wing, far-right and authoritarian movements. The exhibition positions art not only as a medium of reflection, but also as an active force that opposes authoritarian aesthetics and ideologies.
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