The Opposite of Now

In the face of multiple national and international crises, where does a young person find the courage to help shape the world? How does one find a way out of resignation amid the never-ending news about threats to the future of the planet and liberal democracy? How does one experience a sense of self-efficacy?

To mark its 25th anniversary, the Jewish Museum Berlin has invited twelve artists to open up new perspectives on our times through projects developed specifically for the exhibition. The works grapple with the challenges of an often oppressive present. In doing so, they encourage us to transcend the status quo by appealing to the process of becoming and growing within us. The artists invite visitors to interact with the artwork through their own actions: walking backward, dancing, or conducting an interactive choir. In this way, the works invite visitors to explore their own social imagination and awaken its potential.

Designed for students in 8th grade and above, the exhibition tour features a curated selection of artistic projects, introduces the AI agent developed specifically for the exhibition to generate new manifestos for the future, and invites active discussion about The Opposite of Now.

For high school students with a relevant academic focus (e.g., philosophy, ethics, politics, social studies, values and norms), the exhibition offers an additional layer of meaning: An important starting point for the development of the artistic positions are the critical yet forward-looking social theories of 20th-century German-Jewish philosophy, ranging from Franz Rosenzweig to Ernst Bloch and Theodor W. Adorno to Hannah Arendt. Excerpts from these works are integrated into the exhibition and can be incorporated into the guided tour to complement the interactive experience of the artworks, depending on the desired thematic focus and the students’ level of understanding.

Featuring works by: Yael Bartana, Andrea Büttner, Chto Delat, Arnold Dreyblatt, William Forsythe, Dana Kavelina, Alexander Kluge, Daniel Laufer, Dor Zlekha Levy, Ari Benjamin Meyers, Alona Rodeh, and Eran Schaerf.