Adam Szymczyk and documenta 14

Both the exhibitions in Athens and Kassel feature a number of daily performances, discussion forums and concerts whose programme can be called up in an Internet calendar: this is a vibrant part of documenta 14.[45] A four hour radio programme entitled “Every Time A Ear di Soun“ went out on the air every night in collaboration with Deutschlandfunk Kultur: this audio art exhibition explored how voice, sound and music and the spoken word are suitable for writing stories to oppose trends and dominant opinions containing deliberate or prescribed political content. The broadcasts – radio files of over 30 commissioned works with a total length of between 30 minutes and one hour, as well as information on the participating artists – are also accessible on the Internet. Nine foreign radio stations broadcast the programmes in Greece, Cameroon, Colombia, the Lebanon, Brazil, Indonesia and the USA.

With documenta 14 Szymczyk has prepared a stage for artists, curators, and colleagues from all over the world to present their ideas, feelings, views and research. He has heard their concerns and put their chosen results and events at the disposal of visitors in Athens and Kassel. Whereas the curators and artists mostly had to organise themselves independently, he provided the ideas and worked as a sort of compère. Pierre Bal-Blanc summed it up as follows: “Heterogeneity is openly demonstrated in the exhibition. We must accept the cracks and weaknesses, because the exhibition as a whole is interesting. But democratic processes also have their limits.” [46]

Axel Feuß, August 2017