Documenta's Beauty

It wasn't beautiful. But beauty's as important in the new world of art as vegetables are for a cannibal. It's all about changing viewing habits, connecting the dots and unleashing a tempest of perception. Medicine's not meant to taste good -- it only works if it tastes bitter, as the proverb goes.

The documenta 12 -- the highlight of the 2007 art summer -- was a complete success in that regard. A badly stuffed giraffe from the West Bank meant to signify the Mideast conflict was on display, as was a sculpture made from old Chinese doors that collapsed after a storm. Ai Weiwei, the artist responsible, stayed cool and was thrilled that the price of his artwork had just doubled. Note: A glitch is also art. And: art stems from communication. It's not a new but an important insight that art does not speak for itself -- it has to be talked about.

The documenta began with great expectations. Some wrote that nothing less than an "artistic world revolution" was about to take place. The revolution didn't happen -- the documenta triggered angry protests, especially abroad. It was called consternation kitsch, irrelevant, boring -- a well-known British critic spoke of the worst exhibition he had ever seen.

This was partly due to the fact that the documenta curators intentionally did without the current art heroes, such as Damien Hirst or German superstars Neo Rauch and Daniel Richter, whose paintings are sold before they've dried.

But was it a mistake not to invite celebrities? People may be upset about the theory overkill, but it actually elevates the makers of documenta: the attempt to distinguish oneself from the fashion of the art world, which turns everyone into a celebrity as soon as a Russian oil magnate spends enormous sums on artists that nobody had heard of yesterday and that nobody will know tomorrow.

The documenta offered a massive repertoire with 500 often very political works by artists, also from Africa, Latin America and Asia. There was much to discover. This year, changing viewing habits also were meant to be open for an African artist's approach to the issue of migration or an Argentine artist's work on sexual violence. A little note on the side: 50 percent of the artists on display were women, finally doing away with the prejudice that there are only a few good female artists.

It's also interesting that this "worst exhibition" attracted more people than ever. The fact that people from all over the world gathered in Kassel alone is an experience -- a cosmopolitan audience in a provincial German town. Culture in Germany is decentralized -- it doesn't always have to be Berlin, Hamburg or Munich. Germany is an art trend-setter; No other country has such a high density of museums and important exhibitions. German art is also the most expensive. There's a saying in the art world: Artworks above deck may come from the US, but the lingua franca in the engine room of art is German.

This summer of art also showed more than ever that it's no longer just the classic, somewhat older, educated classes who are interested in art and the art boom -- it's becoming a mass phenomenon for young people.

Sure, that's also partly because of the insane sums that are paid for art these days and because artists are now as glamorous as pop or movie stars. Celebrities such as Hirst long ago entered the yellow press, which also reports on what art which movie star has just bought at what price. In short: Art is chic.

But there's more: The artist with all his quirks, unpredictability and fundamental refusal to conform has become an inspiring figure in times of a controlled and monitored world: Look, I might lead a boring life, but a different one is also possible. Young people who are fascinated by fashion and style are inevitably also interested in modern art. That's happening despite the fact that art in search of provocation, art that tries to focus on complex theories of perception, art like that on display in Kassel doesn't make it easy for the audience.

The documenta makers have shown courage to ask the right questions and explain the context. One has to conclude this summer art fairy tale by saying: It wasn't beautiful. It can't be beautiful. But it helped.

Ramon Garcia-Ziemsen is DW-RADIO's culture editor (win)