documenta fifteen

documenta fifteen is the 15th edition of documenta, a contemporary art exhibition that takes place from June 18 until September 25, 2022, in Kassel, Germany. In 1955, the Kassel painter and academy professor Arnold Bode endeavored to bring Germany back into dialogue with the rest of the world after World War II and connect the international art scene through a "presentation of twentieth century art." The first edition of documenta featured many artists considered to have significantly influenced contemporary art (such as Picasso and Kandinsky). The more recent documentas feature art from all continents; nonetheless, most of it is site-specific.

In each edition, documenta has played a leading role in taking the international discourse about art in new directions. Over the past decades, documenta has established itself as an institution that goes far beyond a survey of what is currently happening, inviting the international art world's attention every five years for this "museum of 100 days." The discourse and the dynamics of the discussion surrounding each documenta reflect and challenge society's expectations about art.

documenta fifteen's artistic director, Jakarta-based non-profit organization ruangrupa, has based documenta fifteen upon the values and ideas of ((lumbung)). Lumbung, which directly translates as "rice barn," refers to a communal building in rural Indonesia where a community's harvest is gathered, stored, and distributed according to jointly determined criteria as a pooled resource for the future. As a concrete practice, lumbung is the starting point of documenta fifteen: principles of collectivity, resource building, and equitable distribution are pivotal to the curatorial work and impact the entire process — the structure and appearance of documenta fifteen.

In each edition, documenta has played a leading role in taking the international discourse about art in new directions. Over the past decades, documenta has established itself as an institution that goes far beyond a survey of what is currently happening, inviting the international art world's attention every five years for this "museum of 100 days." The discourse and the dynamics of the discussion surrounding each documenta reflect and challenge society's expectations about art.

documenta fifteen's artistic director, Jakarta-based non-profit organization ruangrupa, has based documenta fifteen upon the values and ideas of ((lumbung)). Lumbung, which directly translates as "rice barn," refers to a communal building in rural Indonesia where a community's harvest is gathered, stored, and distributed according to jointly determined criteria as a pooled resource for the future. As a concrete practice, lumbung is the starting point of documenta fifteen: principles of collectivity, resource building, and equitable distribution are pivotal to the curatorial work and impact the entire process — the structure and appearance of documenta fifteen.