4 March 2020
John Heartfield – Photography plus Dynamite
Exhibition and special events, 21 March – 21 June 2020
Invitation to the preview of the exhibition and to the press conference:
Thursday, 19 March 2020, 11 am
Exhibition space opens at 10:30 am
Curators' tours through the exhibition follow the conference
Akademie der Künste, Pariser Platz 4, 10117 Berlin
Advance registration requested: Tel. + 49 (0)30 200 57-1514 or presse@adk.de
With Jeanine Meerapfel, president of the Akademie der Künste
Werner Heegewaldt, director of the Archives
Friederike Tappe-Hornbostel, head of Communications at the Kulturstiftung des Bundes (German Federal Cultural Foundation), as well as the curators Angela Lammert, Rosa von der Schulenburg and Anna Schultz
John Heartfield's (1891–1968) political photomontages provided the initial spark for an effective means of using visual rhetoric – creating powerful images whose impact is still palpable. Using strategies meant to enlighten and persuade, Heartfield attempted to mobilise a wide audience against fascism and war. The rise of fake news, increasing right-wing radicalism and hate speeches in social media make us aware how relevant Heartfield's work still is for us in 2020. The Akademie der Künste is reviewing the oeuvre of the graphic artist, animator and set designer in a major retrospective opening on 21 March 2020 on Pariser Platz. The starting point for the exhibition was the re-examination and digitisation of Heartfield's estate and an assessment of materials from diverse archival departments at the Akademie. The opening of the exhibition takes place on Friday, 20 March at 7 pm. Following its presentation in Berlin, the exhibition travels to two additional venues: the Museum de Fundatie, Zwolle, the Netherlands (26 September 2020 – 3 January 2021) and the Royal Academy of Arts, London (27 June – 26 September 2021).
An exhibition of the Akademie der Künste, Berlin
Funded by the Kulturstiftung des Bundes
Press photos available for download:
https://www.adk.de/de/presse/save-downloads/2003_Heartfield/
Press contacts: Anette Schmitt, schmitt@adk.de, Tel. + 49 (0)30 / 200 57-1509
Mareike Wenzlau, wenzlau@adk.de, Tel. + 49 (0)30 200 57-1566