My comment to the NZZ-interview of M. Piotrowski (email TH to Hedwig Fijen May 6. 2014)

I think M. Piotrowski is wrong and I think he fell into a trap, into the trap of ‘the separation between Art and Politics’ (the ‘good’ and the ‘bad’) when he declared: “Pussy Riot machen keine Kunst, sie sind rein politisch.” It’s exactly this kind of separation or classification all tyrants of all times always made. Its really stupid and counterproductive to go into this trap! (one can discuss – and this interview was an occasion – why ‘Pussy Riot’ are perhaps not interesting as artists)
I think its the contrary M. Piotrowski should do: he should include “Pussy Riot”, he should include them into the community of artists – even when they are not invited by Kasper – and explain why they are not invited (when the question comes up)!
I think the only way MANIFESTA 10 can go through the announced disaster is in discussing, including, dialoguing, confronting in going into the ‘infight’, into the infight of art with politics today! I think Kasper has to tell it to M. Piotrowski! I think MANIFESTA 10 has absolutely to avoid classifications and separations in the actual situation! I think MANIFESTA 10 has to accept the ‘infight’ and to open-up to the big questions: Can art change everyday conditions? Can art influence daily politics? Can art transform the human being? Can art be a breakthrough into the life? Facing the actual political situation of the location of MANIFESTA 10 we have to ask questions and we have to do this with modesty and with humbleness.
I think MANIFESTA 10 has to insist on the complexity, on the difficulty, on the dilemma, on the contradictions but also on the absolute will to confront reality – WITH AND TROUGH ART – and in the ABSOLUT BELIEF IN ART.