The Unfamiliar
On an artistic approach to diversity
to
Lentos Kunstmuseum Linz
Ernst-Koref-Promenade 1, 4020 Linz
It is said that our lives are a reflection of others. What is alien often appears threatening to us. How can we manage to embrace different perceptions of the world without revealing our very own identity? Even today, the exclusion of those who are different – or quite simply of other individuals – can frequently be traced back to the gender divide, sexual identity, or the external characteristics of people of diverse origins. In the process, cultural constructs often have a lingering effect, trapping these “others” in rigid perceptions of their individual roles.
The works selected from the photo collection of the Museums of the City of Linz and from private collections on the wide-ranging topic of “foreigners” forge far-reaching dialogues. With the aid of the works selected, we are attempting to build bridges to bygone times and distant cultures and to raise awareness of common stereotypes associated with the abasement and exclusion of social groups. In doing so, concepts such as Othering, Orientalism, Colonialism, Marginalisation and Classism surface.
more information here
Photos of exhibition view © Violetta Wakolbing