Wide Eyes of Fear

In view of the scenarios of fear which rang in the 21st century – the horror of 9/11, the pending catastrophes of climate change, the recent global financial meltdown, to name a few – this cross-disciplinary, theme-based festival wished to address the following questions: How are fears generated and how do they influence human behaviour? How are fears manipulated and what role do they play in public life?
This project spaned more than nine months and drew on a variety of expressive forms. In the first step, an interdisciplinary panel examined the topic of fear from a cultural-scientific perspective. In another step, several artists reflected on social fears in locally-specific works displayed in public spaces in central Germany and the Czech Republic. The results of these works were presented in an accompanying publication and a festival. An international panel of curators developed a film programme that explored how social fears are reflected in the experience of the individual.
The project aimed to bring the issue of fear closer to home with numerous events, such as lectures, publications, a theme-based accompanying programme developed by a local radio station, and other events, coordinated in cooperation with galleries, cinemas and associations. The international team of curators were particularly interested in initiating a topically relevant discussion about the issue of fear and encouraging artists and audiences to encounter each other in new ways.

Artistic director Werkleitz Festival 2010: Daniel Herrmann. Artistic director "Angst in Form": KUNSTrePUBLIK.
Curators: Matthias Einhoff, Philip Horst, Markus Lohmann, Harry Sachs, Daniel Seiple. Curatorial advisers: Sophie Hope (GB), Annette Maechtel, Edit Molnár (HU), Frank Motz and Joseph del Pesco (USA). Artistic director " Angst in der Schwarzen Schachtel": Marcel Schwierin. Curators: Brent Klinkum (F) and Marcel Schwierin.

Venues and schedule:
Werkleitz Festival 2010: Thalia Theater, Kardinal-Albrecht-Str. 6, Halle an der Saale, 12 – 17 Oct. 2010
Art in public space at various locations in Saxony-Anhalt, neighbouring states and the Czech Republic, 1 May – 17 Oct. 2010
Interdisciplinary research panel, 15 and 16 April 2010 at the Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle

"Angst in der Schwarzen Schachtel / Félelem a fekete dobozban"
12 Jan – 27 Feb 2011 Trafó Galerie, Budapest