Documenta 12 - Germany's most important art show

Documenta is regarded as the most important exhibition of contemporary art, drawing attention from all over the world. It was initiated in 1955 by the artist and art educator, Arnold Bode, in Kassel. After the period of Nazi dictatorship, it was supposed to reconcile German public life with international modernity and also confront it with its own failed Enlightenment.
Nobody would have thought at that time that the exhibition, often called the Hundred Day Museum, would become an unparalleled success. Nevertheless, the twelfth documenta will be taking place in summer 2007.
The singular character of the exhibition has been preserved. Every five years, a new director is chosen and the exhibition is reinvented, a concept which to date has been affirmed by the public's interest. The number of visitors has continually risen. More than 650 thousand visitors came to Documenta11.

»Irgendwann ertappte ich mich dabei, dass mich die alten Tempel mehr interessierten als die Künstlerateliers und Kunstmuseen«, erzählt Buergel. Sich nur auf der dünnen Kruste der Gegenwart zu bewegen kommt ihm seltsam beschränkt vor. Und so wird die Documenta 12 die erste sein, die ganz ungeniert weit zurückgreift in die Geschichte. Sie bricht mit dem Dogma der Innovation, sie will keine Ausstellung sein, in der sich die Gegenwart nur selbst bespiegelt. »Warum sollte es darauf ankommen, wann ein Kunstwerk entstanden ist? Wichtig ist doch nur, dass es uns heute aktuell erscheint.«

Yet after speaking to a number of artists and dealers, I found that the list includes Mary Kelly, Louise Lawler, Zoe Leonard, John McCracken and Martha Rosler from the U.S.
Also taking part are Beijing's Ai Weiwei, Irish multimedia artist James Coleman, Austrian conceptual artist Peter Friedl and Sydney-based Malaysian installation artist Simryn Gill, who will display truck-engine parts made from coconut wood. (Spanish celebrity chef Ferran Adria will be cooking something up as well, according to organizers.)