Duet with Artist. Participation as artistic principle

The audience and its role in the creation of a work of art lie at the centre of the 21er Haus exhibition Duet with Artist. Historical and contemporary positions show how artists activate others and call them to action.
To think of art as an essential part of life in which everyone can participate is not only fundamental to the understanding of art of the 20th and 21st centuries but is one of the fundamental democratic values of our society. Duet with Artist establishes the museum as a central place of participation and presents over 20 international artistic stances, which demand interaction, cooperation, and sometimes also collaboration.
The exhibition addresses the active participation of visitors and encourages a critical and creative attitude. In some situations, the viewers perform an artistic act or become an art object themselves. Thus, evoked ideas can become the work of art, as can the execution of instructions or the collaboration with others. The exhibition expands upon the institution of the museum by calling for social action and creating space for encounters.

A cooperation between the 21er Haus and the Morsbroich Museum in Leverkusen, Germany.

Curated by Axel Köhne.