Adam Szymczyk on documenta 14, Politics, and Curatorial Freedom

In an interview coinciding with the opening of PLATO in Ostrava, curator Adam Szymczyk reflects on his experience directing documenta 14, the political fallout, and his curatorial philosophy. He describes the exhibition as a life-changing process that required learning Kassel's history, including the story of founder Arnold Bode, who lost everything under the Nazis. Szymczyk notes that documenta 14 engaged with Germany's refugee crisis and the rise of populist parties like AfD, and that the show's content was often ignored by politicians focused on economics. He criticizes the neoliberal regulation of cultural production, where curators risk political backlash if they deviate from expectations. Szymczyk advocates for institutions to redefine their parameters rather than merely survive, citing PLATO as a meta-institution that fosters informal conviviality. He emphasizes working closely with artists and rejects curatorial supremacy, describing documenta 14 as a collaborative effort to capture the present. The interview also covers his Italian connections, including a 2010 project at the Istituto Svizzero in Rome with Salvatore Lacagnina, and a visit to Maria Lai's exhibitions in Sardinia. Szymczyk reveals that the term 'entstellte Kunst' (distorted art) has been used by AfD against contemporary art, and he plans a response. He is considering a small exhibition in Germany and other projects, but remains cautious about discussing them.