The D21 Kunstraum sees itself as a platform and field of experimentation for local and international artists. He shows group and solo exhibitions on socially relevant themes, primarily in the fields of new media, performance, photography and installation.
As part of its annual theme ALIEN, the D21 Kunstraum is looking for exhibition projects that deal with the topic artistically and curatorially. The alien appears in various art and cultural forms such as theater, games, visual arts and literature and is strongly linked to identity debates as well as debates about empowerment. The annual theme of D21 deals with the idea of the “alien” as an image for the “foreign”, but also with alienation, the alienating in the (supposedly) own.
What exactly is an alien? In English, the ambiguity of the term as “foreign, different” becomes particularly clear: “Aliens” are people who are not citizens or nationals of the country that is being demarcated: Citizens vs. aliens. The term “alien” here therefore primarily refers to those who are foreign (to us). The alien as we know it from science fiction films needs the addition “extraterrestrial life” or “alien life”. The term “alienated”, on the other hand, is best translated from English as “alienated” and describes very precisely how many people in marginalized communities describe their role in a sexist, anti-feminist, homophobic, racist or anti-Semitic discriminatory society. The alien has therefore been used in queer theories since the 1960s, especially by LGBTQIA*, PoC and Black people, as an allegory for the feeling of being alienated and separated from a heteronormative society of white supremacy. Aspects of the allegory “Alien” emerge as a foreign and self-designation, a term of struggle, empowering appropriation and structural criticism.
Unfortunately, people tend to feel empathy only for their closest, most similar circle and reject what they perceive to be strangers. We all othernize, compare ourselves with others and distance ourselves based on the idea that people and societies differ significantly from our own social group in terms of lifestyle, culture or other characteristics. This is an alienation that takes place in the middle of society, be it because of gender, sexual orientation, religious affiliation, ethnicity, nationality, social position within a society, or also because of supposed biological differentiation criteria between people. People of certain skin colors and identities are made invisible or particularly exposed by biases that make them vulnerable to violence through racism and anti-Semitism, exclusion and violent crime.
The exhibitions and accompanying programs are intended to show the theme of “aliens” in the visual and performative arts in an overlapping and interlocking way, possibly expanded to include motifs from gaming, film, literature and theater. In addition to the artistic positions, the exhibitions can also build bridges to design or comic culture and illuminate the enormous potential of the alien as a role model with cultural-historical background knowledge.
Application for group exhibition
1. concept paper with the following information:
- Concept description (max. 800 words)
- Description of your own practice (400 words)
- List & information on the participants to be invited (artists, speakers with short biography and photo(s) of the work)
2. CV of the concept authors
3. budget outline
Application for solo exhibition (D21/Solo**)
- Artist statement on working method, artistic approach, question(s)/works to be shown during the exhibition (max. 1 page)
- CV of the concept authors
- Portfolio of previously realized works in PDF format with meaningful texts and images
- Budget outline
Please send everything in one complete PDF (no individual pages) (max. 10 pages; data volume max. 12MB) or use a permanently usable download link; please provide time-based media such as video/sound only as a link.
The realization of the project is subject to financing. Submissions can be sent in German or English to by 31.05.2024. The selection is made by the D21 Board of Trustees.