Is Germany's Far-Right AfD Co-Opting Joseph Beuys?
Dozens of galleries from Düsseldorf and Cologne signed a letter condemning the anti-immigrant party's invocation of the postwar artist in promotions for an upcoming event.
Over fifty galleries in Düsseldorf and Cologne have united to issue a statement rebuking the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party's Düsseldorf chapter. The AfD faction is facing accusations for allegedly appropriating the works of postwar conceptual artist and political activist Joseph Beuys, as well as referencing poet Heinrich Heine, in the promotion of an upcoming cultural policy event.
Scheduled for Monday, October 26, the event, titled "Cultural Policy From the Right," will feature a walking tour of Düsseldorf's arts and cultural locations followed by a lecture from the party's Bundestag representative, Matthias Helferich. While the gallery signatories and Hyperallergic have not been able to independently verify any references to Beuys on the AfD and AfD Düsseldorf official websites, the letter emphasizes the city's values of openness, internationalism, plurality, and free exchange of diverse perspectives.
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