MACHT

Who has power? How does a single person shape the politics of a country? And what can be said about a country based on those in power? The project “Power” is a visualization of one hundred years of global politics based on its protagonists. For this purpose, portraits of those in power between 1921 and 2021 were collected for all states and layered on top of one another. The intensity and thus the visibility of a person varies depending on the length of their time in office. The result is a series of 199 images that develop an unsettling and at the same time iridescent effect and reinterpret the image type of the ruler’s portrait. The works tell of a multitude of global political events and questions. The 20th century in particular was shaped by wars and shifts of borders, by systemic upheavals and changes of power, by annexations and the founding of states. Thus, a kind of gallery of rulers of this world has emerged, from which global power structures can be read.

The exhibition will open on 27 May at the Heinrich Böll Foundation as part of the event “Strong Men, Strong States? Masculinity ideals in times of geopolitical crises in Asia and Germany”. Here there will be the opportunity, after an introduction, to meet the artists Birte Zellentin and Patrik Budenz in person to talk with them.

Register Here

Visit the exhibition for free.