On September 7, the documenta archiv will once again be taking part in the Kassel Museum Night.

Together with the cultural scientist Alexia Pooth, we invite you to a cinematic tour exploring divided Germany.

Experience an art and media-historical journey through time to the city of Kassel in 1972: two television documentaries from the two German states offer special insights into the legendary documenta 5 by Swiss curator Harald Szeemann.

The perspectives could hardly be more different: While the West German broadcaster presents the hectic preparations for the documenta, the film team from the GDR takes the “bourgeois art world” and the art market into the crossfire of imperialist criticism in its review. Skepticism is voiced on both sides of the Iron Curtain.

The evening will be introduced by cultural historian Alexia Pooth, author of the book “Exhibition Politics. Die documenta und die DDR”, published in the documenta archiv series (2024).

Film selection:

“Questioning reality. Documents on documenta 5”, BRD (1972)
44 min, Director: Johannes Freisel, WDR

“The golden line. Images of the bourgeois art business”, GDR (1974)
26 min, Director: Peter Voigt, Studio H & S

When & Where:

5-6.45 pm in the event hall of the Fridericianum

Further events:

The Kassel documenta forum is organizing a discussion with the Hessian Minister for Science and Research, Art and Culture, Timon Gremmels, in the documenta Halle from 7 pm as part of the Museum Night and is also showing a slide show curated by us in cooperation with the documenta archiv with documenta photographs by the Kassel photographer Monika Nikolic, who died in January 2024.