ruangrupa Reflects on documenta fifteen's Radical Lumbung Model and Controversies

The Indonesian collective ruangrupa, serving as artistic directors for documenta fifteen, introduced their 'lumbung' model to distribute resources equitably among artists. The exhibition, which commenced in Kassel in June and lasted for 100 days, emphasized collaborative networks but encountered backlash due to accusations of anti-Semitism linked to Taring Padi's works, drawing attention from German media. Members farid rakun and Ade Darmawan acknowledged the friction between their decentralized model and the traditional hierarchy of Documenta. They clarified that documenta fifteen was not intended to represent nation-states, highlighting the involvement of Israeli and Jewish artists without prioritizing identities. Their goal was to foster cyclical resource sharing, despite the challenges of adapting to Kassel, ultimately viewing the event as a platform for connecting marginalized movements worldwide.