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Kunstfreiheit: Eine deutsche Ideologie. Vom Naturalismus bis zur documenta fifteen

Kunstfreiheit: Eine deutsche Ideologie. Vom Naturalismus bis zur documenta fifteen

“Freedom of art” is often and willingly praised as a precious good by German politicians and cultural figures. The fact that the Basic Law of the Federal Republic of Germany grants art a greater degree of freedom than freedom of expression is unique worldwide: Everywhere else, art is subsumed under general freedom of expression and does not enjoy preferential treatment. This book begins at the starting point of Germany’s special path regarding artistic freedom in the 19th century, when art was declared “free” but in reality was strictly limited: Due to the aesthetic idealism prevailing at the time, it had to be autonomous and “disinterested,” that is, neither “obscene” nor political.

However, with the increasing politicization and eroticization of the arts in the 20th century, the original premises of “artistic freedom” have long been outdated. In some respects, this is irrelevant: freedom of expression has now expanded so much that it is rarely necessary to invoke an additional degree of artistic freedom. However, state subsidies for the arts can lead to the financing of works that convey messages that run counter to general social values. The resulting problems are explained in the final part of the volume with regard to antisemitism in the cultural sphere.