Art, Activism and Public Opinion in Times of Transformation

Artists are key actors in social discourse. They expose injustices, question existing power structures, and take a stand on urgent political and social issues. Through their creative expression they inspire debate, encourage action, and open new perspectives on the future.

But how much influence can art truly have on public opinion? Can it drive political, social, or ecological transformation? When art functions as a medium of protest and discourse – where does art end and activism begin, and do we even need that distinction?

This trilingual (German-French-Polish) evening event invites participants to explore these questions through performance and discussion – in cooperation with the Stiftung Genshagen as part of the European dialogue series “Der etwas andere Dialog”.

Programme

Wednesday, 5 November 2025
The event will be interpreted in German, French and Polish.

Project leads:
Noémie Kaufman (Stiftung Genshagen)
Dr Katalin Krasznahorkai (Brandenburg Museum for Future, Present and History)

• 6:00 pm – Welcome
  Prof. Dr. Susanne Keuchel (Executive Director, Stiftung Genshagen)
  Katja Melzer (Director, Brandenburg Museum for Future, Present and History, Potsdam)
• 6:10 pm – Artistic Impulse
  Le Bruit Qui Court, artist collective, Paris
• 6:30 pm – Panel Discussion
  Dr. Mahret Ifeoma Kupka (Curator, Museum Angewandte Kunst, Frankfurt am Main)
  Dr. hab. Ewa Majewska (Philosopher and Cultural Theorist, SWPS University, Warsaw)
  Manja Präkels (Author and Journalist, Berlin / Rheinsberg)
  Clara Thuelin (Sound Artist, Coordinator of Le Bruit Qui Court, Paris)
  Moderation: Jean Peters (Senior Reporter, CORRECTIV, Berlin)
• 8:00 pm – Reception
• 9:00 pm – Departure of shuttle bus to Berlin-Südkreuz station

About the Artistic Impulse

Le Bruit Qui Court is a collective of artivists – engaged artists and activists – who believe that profound change is only possible through new worlds of imagination and by winning the “cultural struggle.” Their work explores creative forms of collective resistance to promote social and ecological justice. In Genshagen, the performance will be realized by Clara Thuelin, Romane Rostoll, and Célia Schmit.

Speakers

Dr. Mahret Ifeoma Kupka

Art scholar, author and Senior Curator for Fashion, Body and Performativity at the Museum Angewandte Kunst, Frankfurt. Her research and curatorial work address racism, memory culture, representation and the decolonisation of art, design and cultural practice. mahretkupka.de

Dr. hab. Ewa Majewska

Feminist cultural theorist and Associate Professor at SWPS University, Warsaw. Her current research explores the archives of police surveillance against gay men in 1980s Poland. Author of Feminist Antifascism. Counterpublics of the Common (Verso). ewa-majewska.com

Manja Präkels

Author and musician from Berlin and Brandenburg. Her debut novel Als ich mit Hitler Schnapskirschen aß received the German Youth Literature Award and the Anna Seghers Prize. She develops writing workshops and neighbourhood projects and co-runs the “Wort & Ton” thought lab. gedankenmanufaktur.net

Clara Thuelin

Sound artist and coordinator of Le Bruit Qui Court. Since 2021 she has been active in artivism, developing participatory artistic actions and performances for social and climate justice. le-bruit-qui-court.fr

Moderator: Jean Peters

Senior Reporter at CORRECTIV, Berlin, and head of Content Art & Journalism. Known for investigations into right-wing networks, climate denial lobbies and the arms industry. Founder of the Peng! Kollektiv, which uses subversive art to provoke public debate. correctiv.org

Practical Information

• A shuttle bus departs from Berlin-Südkreuz station at 5:00 pm to Schloss Genshagen and returns after the event.
• The event will also be streamed live via Zoom.
• Admission is free.
• Please register by 31 October 2025 using the form on the Stiftung Genshagen website.

→ Register Here

Contact

Project Management:
Noémie Kaufman (kaufman@stiftung-genshagen.de)
Dr Katalin Krasznahorkai (k.krasznahorkai@gesellschaft-kultur-geschichte.de)

Organizers & Funding

Organized by: Stiftung Genshagen and the Brandenburg Museum for Future, Present and History.
Funded by: Federal Agency for Civic Education (bpb).

The Brandenburg Museum is part of the Brandenburg Society for Culture and History gGmbH, funded by the Ministry of Science, Research and Culture of the State of Brandenburg and the City of Potsdam.