Der lange Weg in den Pavillon
The article explores the overlooked history of East Germany's (DDR) participation in the Venice Biennale from 1982 to 1990. Despite being officially represented, the DDR never exhibited in the German Pavilion, which was controlled by West Germany. Instead, East German artists like Sabina Grzimek (1986) and Wieland Förster showed their work in the Venezuelan Pavilion. Artist Henrike Naumann, co-curator of the 2024 German Pavilion, researched this history in the Federal Archives, uncovering documents that reveal the DDR's persistent but unsuccessful efforts to secure space in the German Pavilion or build its own, highlighting a cultural-political struggle for visibility during the Cold War.
This history matters because it fills a significant gap in German art history, correcting a narrative that has long focused on West German dominance at the Biennale. The DDR's five presentations in Venice, described by art historian Matthias Flügge as conceptually confused, reflect the broader tensions of a divided nation using art as a diplomatic tool. Naumann's research, which informs the current German Pavilion exhibition, brings this forgotten chapter to light, showing how institutional and political forces shaped—and limited—artistic representation during the Cold War.