Counter-Sights and Counter-Times
Georges Didi-Huberman in Conversation with Sigrid Weigel
Drawing on the political dimensions of Walter Benjamin’s and Hannah Arendt’s thinking, philosopher Georges Didi-Huberman outlines possible ways out of the present in his essay The Survival of the Fireflies, in which he asked to which part of reality—the opposite of a whole—can the image of fireflies as a form of resistance turn?
In his talk for the exhibition The Opposite of Now, followed by a conversation with literary scholar Sigrid Weigel, Didi-Huberman raises the new question of what significance a political allegory can have today.
Thu 24 Sep 2026, 7pm
Where
W. M. Blumenthal Academy,
Klaus Mangold Auditorium
Fromet-und-Moses-Mendelssohn-Platz 1, 10969 Berlin
(Opposite the Museum)
Georges Didi-Huberman is a French philosopher and art historian whose research spans the visual arts, the historiography of art, psychoanalysis, the human sciences, and philosophy. He has taught at the École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales (EHESS) in Paris since 1990. He has published extensively on the history and theory of images, from the Renaissance to contemporary art. In 2020, he was awarded the Aby Warburg Prize of the City of Hamburg.
Georges Didi-Huberman; photo: private
Sigrid Weigel is a scholar of literature and cultural science. She served for many years as director of the Leibniz Center for Literary and Cultural Research and has taught at the University of Hamburg, the University of Zurich, the Technical University of Berlin, and Princeton University, among others. Her research lies at the intersection of literature, the history of knowledge (and science), visual studies, psychoanalysis, and political theory. She has received many honorary doctorates and awards, among them 2016 the Aby Warburg Prize of the City of Hamburg.
Sigrid Weigel; photo: Hartwig Klappert
Exhibition The Opposite of Now: Artistic Paths to a Different Present: Features & Programs
Exhibition Webpage
- The Opposite of Now: Artistic Paths to a Different Present: 4 Sep 2026 to 10 Jan 2027
- Ephra trail for children and the adults accompanying them: Explore the exhibition through different stories!
Accompanying Events & Tours
- Artist talks, film screenings, the JMB Book Club, panel discussions, and public tours: Find all dates in our calender
- Guided Tours for Groups: Tour by appointment
- Guided Tour for School Groups: Tour by appointment
Publications
Exhibition Catalog: English/German, Sep 2026
Digital Content
My Opposite of Now: Chat with M.O.O.N. about your opposite of now! The AI app from the exhibition available online
See also
- Fine Arts at the Jewish Museum Berlin
- 25 Years Jewish Museum Berlin: Discover our anniversary program, 2026
When & Where?
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WhenThu 24 Sep 2026, 7pm
-
Where
W. M. Blumenthal Academy,
Klaus Mangold Auditorium
Fromet-und-Moses-Mendelssohn-Platz 1, 10969 Berlin
(Opposite the Museum)
See location on map
-
Entry fee
Free of charge – Booking opens soon in our ticket shop.
Language English
