Statement by the Stiftung Preussischer Kulturbesitz (Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation) on the Nan Goldin retrospective at the Neue Nationalgalerie
News from 11/20/2024
Nan Goldin is one of the most significant contemporary artists. The Neue Nationalgalerie has therefore decided to honor her photographic oeuvre with a major retrospective. Her art stands for itself.
In addition to her work as an artist, Nan Goldin is also an activist and opinion leader and is actively engaged in the debate surrounding the Middle East conflict. Neither the SPK nor the Neue Nationalgalerie are adopting her opinions by showing this exhibition.
The debate on the Middle East conflict has become extremely heated in recent months. Radical positions have clashed with sometimes irreconcilable one-sidedness, and insinuations and accusations, including hatred, have become the order of the day. This is extremely worrying, as it calls into question the very foundations of our open, democratic society, which thrives on listening to each other, on tolerating different opinions and perspectives and on respecting the rights and dignity of others without falling into irreconcilable extremes.
The institutions of the Stiftung Preussischer Kulturbesitz are places of freedom of art, respectful discourse and freedom of expression. However, we follow certain principles that are non-negotiable for us: Israel's right to exist is beyond question for us. The Hamas attack on the Jewish state on October 7, 2023 was a cruel act of terror that cannot be justified by anything. This also applies to the abduction of innocent people. When Jews are threatened or persecuted simply because they are Jewish, we do not accept it, we show our solidarity and raise our voices loud and clear!
At the same time, we empathize with the civilian population in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon, whose suffering cannot be overlooked. All the people in the Middle East have a right to physical integrity and a life free from fear. That is why we are calling for a peaceful solution to the Middle East conflict.
It is also clear that we as the SPK do not tolerate any anti-Semitic, racist, Islamophobic or otherwise inhumane statements and symbols. We reject calls for boycotts, threats, abusive language, verbal violence or violent acts. We will not allow calls for or incitement to violence, the legitimization or trivialization of acts of terrorism, the injury and killing of civilians or support for terrorist organizations in our facilities.
It should and must be possible for the Nan Goldin exhibition and the symposium “Art and Activism in Times of Polarization” to take place as planned. However, this requires an environment in which freedom of expression and respectful exchange are possible.