Reflections of Germany – Six Artworks Charting the Evolution of the New Germany - Arts.21, 10.01.2009

The Berlin Wall fell twenty years ago: How has Germany changed since then? In six episodes, ARTS.21 charts the evolution of reunified Germany with reference to six works created between 1989 and today that reflect the country’s main preoccupations. The title of the second part of our "Reflections of Germany" series is "Welcome to Capitalism". We present the work "Old Europe" by the Frankfurt-based artist Johannes Spehr, which shows a man living in a grave he has dug himself, shut off from the rest of the word where borders have no meaning anymore. In this work capitalism is no longer the enemy it was painted in communist East Germany, but now the idolatry that has taken root is just as sinister.