“The world is racing – and yet, for all its speed, seems to stand still. Why aren’t we making progress, even though we know more than ever about facts and their contexts? Never has access to information been as easy as today, never has the global community been more interconnected. But what do we do with this knowledge? Entrenched structures and rigid beliefs make any new thinking difficult. Old ideas that have long been overtaken by reality are being reproduced, consciously or subconsciously. The Global North in particular is well-informed: We are outraged by the conditions and disapprove. We check whether and how far they concern our own person – and resume our day-to-day business.

We are aware of the enormous challenges of our present age, the consequences of climate change, shrinking biodiversity, the exploitation of nature, the disregard for human rights. We are aware of corrupt systems, growing poverty, persecution and flight, preconceived gender roles, restrictive ideas of bodies, sexuality and identity, lack of safer spaces, freedoms that are actually privileges. And we capitulate in view of the enormous challenges, the complexity of conditions, the individual responsibility. Because if you don’t move, at least you’re not doing anything wrong, are you? Our confidence in our own efficacy dwindles with the ever-growing mountain of tasks. But what about the right to a future, to perspectives for coming generations? They are well within their rights to say: Thanks for nothing!

Perhaps knowledge itself must change to open up perspectives and options for action? Immersive media convey knowledge in a special way. They are experienced and accessible through the body. Their information touches and moves us more directly, because they turn spectators into participants. The works selected for our exhibition illuminate multi-layered realities which – though initially they may not be our own – become realities that can be experienced bodily. We find not only suffering, grief and resignation here, but also siblinghood, compassion and hope.”