The boundaries of statehood.
February 5, 2021
Seestraße 22
88045 Friedrichshafen
Germany
Hours: Tuesday–Sunday 10am–5pm
T +49 7541 38010
F +49 7541 380181
info@zeppelin-museum.de
Is the state shelter or a danger zone? Panic buying in supermarkets, emergency lists, disaster management, and pandemic plans: While “prepping” has become more prevalent than ever, not only the protective function of the state but also its borders are under discussion. Some borders are open and traversable, others are contested, many are closely guarded.
The view from above puts borders into perspective and reflects the concepts of state territories. Besides the changed perspective, states face further challenges: who owns the sky and how high does a state reach? Airspace can be a public space that enables communication and mobility beyond borders, but also a national or supranational sphere or even a war zone.
Beyond States. The Boundaries of Statehood at the Zeppelin Museum explores these contrary developments. The exhibition looks back on the 19th century and supplements artistic positions with artefacts involving borders, statehood, and the concomitant propaganda in aviation. Internationally renowned artists examine the current and future meaning of the state according to its three constituting factors: state territory, citizenship, and state authority.
Forensic Oceanography analyses the spatial and governmental conditions that lead to the drowning of thousands of fugitives in the Mediterranean Sea.
Simon Denny uses speculative board games to reflect on right-wing libertarian ideologies and the future of the nation state. Jacob Hurwitz-Goodman & Daniel Keller’s video focuses on The Seasteaders a libertarian group who plan to establish autonomous communities on floating platforms in international waters.
Jonas Staal initiated the New World Summit, a parliament for stateless organizations, that questions the very concept of the nation state.
Preppers are driven by their mistrust in a state they believe is unable to fulfill its protective role. In this context, Henrike Naumann takes a critical look at right-wing networks and their dystopian radicalization tendencies. The artist duo Vera Drebusch and Florian Egermann explores the online prepper scene in particular.
The Peng! Collective reflects mass surveillance and the implementation of drone warfare. In Call-A-Spy the exhibition visitors will be given the opportunity to call agents of international secret services and chat with them.
So what will the future of citizenship look like in an era of technologically accelerated displacement? This question is reflected by many artists in the exhibition. James Bridle’s web-based application Citizen Ex deals with algorithmic citizenships, while Christopher Kulendran Thomas proposes a more liquid form of citizenship that goes beyond national boundaries.
The interdisciplinary exhibition is presented at Zeppelin Museum Friedrichshafen on the shores of Lake Constance. In many ways the show alludes to this special place; for a long time, Lake Constance was a no-man’s land in the eyes of international law. This phenomenon inspired Nevin Aladağ to take samples of water at the deepest part of the lake in her video work Border Sampling. The artist ponders questions of state sovereignty at this politically ambiguous border, a place where the lines between states become blurred.
Experience the opening online at www.debatorial.de and on YouTube.
Participating artists:
Nevin Aladağ, James Bridle, Simon Denny, Vera Drebusch & Florian Egermann, Forensic Oceanography / Forensic Architecture, Jacob Hurwitz-Goodman & Daniel Keller, Peng! Kollektiv, Christopher Kulendran Thomas, Henrike Naumann, Jonas Staal
Curators exhibition:
Jürgen Bleiber (head of Zeppelin department), Ina Neddermeyer (head of art department), Felix Banzhaf (research associate Zeppelin department), Caroline Wind (research associate art department)
Curators debatorial:
Dr. Claudia Emmert (director), Jürgen Bleiber (head of Zeppelin department), Ina Neddermeyer (head of art department), Dominik Busch (head of the public discourse and mediation department), Felix Banzhaf (research associate Zeppelin department), Caroline Wind (research associate art department)
Director:
Dr. Claudia Emmert
Press contact:
Simone Lipski
T +497541 3801-21
lipski [at] zeppelin-museum.de
