About the Office of the Public Realm

The starting point is the diagnosis of a crisis in the democratic public sphere: digital infrastructures shape visibility and opinion-forming by connecting people, enabling broad access to information and offering a wide reach. At the same time, they create self-reinforcing echo chambers and exacerbate social polarisation. Public debate is losing its binding nature, and critical judgement is coming under pressure. The discursive project responds to this with an analogue, accessible format that facilitates exchange beyond polarisation.

Art plays a specific role in this context. By organising, disrupting and shifting perceptions, it reveals the conditions under which the public sphere emerges or is prevented from emerging.

Marking the conclusion of the exhibition tour, the Office of the Public Realm signifies the transition from observation to participation. The office develops and tests formats for public engagement: moderated discussions in small groups, complemented by musical contributions, performances and discussion formats. Nothing is entirely pre-planned. The public sphere does not emerge as a fixed form, but through collective action, speaking and listening.

A discursive-performative format by Manos Tsangaris, composer, president of the Akademie der Künste, with members of the Akademie der Künste and guests, moderated by Manos Tsangaris, Anh-Linh Ngo, architect and writer, vice-president of the Akademie der Künste, Änne-Marthe Kühn, dramaturg, and Nils Plath, literary scholar

Featuring literary contributions by members of the Literature Section of the Akademie der Künste: Friedrich Dieckmann, Ulrike Draesner, Annett Gröschner, Kerstin Hensel, director of the Literature Section, Thomas Hettche, Regine Keller (cinematic contribution), deputy director of the Architecture Section, Ursula Krechel, Eva Menasse, Terézia Mora, Ulrich Peltzer, Teresa Präauer, Kathrin Röggla, Katharina Schultens, Ingo Schulze, Cécile Wajsbrot, deputy director of the Literature Section