nGbK Berlin's Gastarbeiter 2.0 Exhibition Examines Economic Migration Through Contemporary Art

Between April 13 and June 16, 2024, Berlin's Neue Gesellschaft für bildende Kunst (nGbK) presented "Gastarbeiter 2.0: Arbeit means Rad," an exhibition focusing on economic migration from former Yugoslav nations. Curated by Hannah Marquardt, Bojan Stojčić, Andrej Mirčev, Adna Muslija, and Jelena Vukmanović, the showcase included notable pieces such as Jelena Fužinato's mobile scaffolding, Mila Panić's bus wheels adorned with Balkan blankets, and Nadežda Kirćanski's giant euro banknotes. The exhibition explored the shift from socialism to neoliberalism and drew nearly 500 attendees at its opening. Established in 1969, nGbK has recently moved and is facing a 30% reduction in funding for 2025, highlighting the precarious situation of migrant artists and referencing historical contexts of unpaid artistic work.