Citizenship: Setting Sail into New Waters
In 2022, the citizenship embarked on its journey towards Kassel, not only taking artists on board but also forging ties with people along its path. Each docking site provided the stage for collaborations with local and international artists as well as for the engagement of the residents. However, this journey turned out to be a challenge due to many unforeseen events. Despite all the support, the schedule of the citizenship got disrupted for various reasons time and again, leading many people to wait for hours, days, and some are still waiting for its arrival today.
It is now confirmed that the citizenship will not arrive in Kassel, thus becoming one of the few artworks of the documenta that could not reach its destination. The low water level of the Weser river in the summer of 2022, running aground, and the directives from the Water and Shipping Office led to an unintended pause of the citizenship at the Doktorsee – a pause that now lasts for one and a half years.
Despite repeated efforts to continue the journey, further schedules failed due to the lack of permits. Yet, the end of this voyage marks the beginning of a new chapter: The roof of the citizenship, previously housed at the ZK/U Berlin (Center for Art and Urbanism), will be dismantled into individual parts before its next transformation. This spectacular action, taking place in the week before Easter, prepares the artwork for its rebirth at a new location.
In the future, it is planned to reassemble the citizenship and launch it anew at a suitable location. This symbolizes not only the physical transformation of an artwork but also the tireless resilience and commitment of the artist community to make art accessible and experiential.
We invite all previous supporters and those interested to follow this new chapter in the history of the citizenship. At the same time, we would like to express our deep gratitude for the support thus far, which has been and continues to be the backbone of this project, enabling us to explore new horizons together.