As if we were here for fun
Borders and Violence

Whether in politics, at work, at school or in our private lives – everyone has experienced violence at some time in their lives. But how can we protect ourselves against violence? And how can creative ideas help us to do this? In a design project, around 50 men and women with and without disabilities elaborate artistic solutions.

Particularly people with mental or physical disabilities can soon fall victim to violence, and prisoners usually have a whole list of violent experiences behind them. In four workshops held in 2017 and 2018 with participation of the designers/artists Matthias Megyeri and Ingrid Hora in the Art Studio of the Wittekindshof, in the Bauhof of the JVA Herford, in the Denkwerk Herford and in the Marta Atelier, ideas were developed for artistic projects aimed at pointing out our own limits and protecting us from violence. As well as drawings and objects, there are lots of photos and a film in the Marta Forum documenting an extraordinarily creative engagement with this theme.

The project follows on from the exhibition “Brutally beautiful – Violence and contemporary design” (2016). The title refers to the scientific publication, “As if we were here for punishment”, on the history of the Wittekindshof, which deals with violence against people with mental disabilities in the 1950s and 60s.
Admission free

Cooperation partner

Thank you

Workshops and the exhibition are supported by Aktion Mensch.