Documenta 15 faces fresh antisemitism allegations over archival illustrations

Documenta 15 in Kassel confronts new accusations of antisemitic imagery, involving a 1988 brochure by Burhan Karkoutly displayed by the Archives of Women’s Struggles in Algeria at the Museum Fridericianum. The illustrations, depicting Israeli soldiers with Stars of David and hooked noses, were reported by an anonymous visitor to Die Welt, leading to their temporary removal and subsequent reinstallation after five days. Documenta's shareholders, the city of Kassel and the state of Hesse, learned of the issue via social media on July 26 and urged contextualization, while the Bundestag debated the exhibition's oversight. Anikó Merten of the FDP criticized the event's management, and Helge Lindh of the SPD called for external expert review, with Bijan Djir-Sarai demanding an immediate pause. Alexander Farenholtz, replacing resigned director Sabine Schormann, has defended curatorial freedom for ruangrupa, the Indonesian collective curating Documenta 15, which previously apologized for antisemitic tropes in a work by Taring Padi. The Archives of Women’s Struggles in Algeria stated the brochure reflects historical solidarity with Palestinians against Israeli state actions, emphasizing its context in Algerian women's struggles. Artists and the lumbung community have resisted censorship attempts in a published letter.