In 2023 the surveillance company Palantir was the official sponsor of an art exhibition named “Dimensions” that took place in Leipzig – my city!! The logo “Palantir” was visible on all of their ads throughout the city – big and proud.
What a strange choice to choose Leipzig for this obvious art washing and not expect any backlash! After all, the Stasi headquarters were stormed in Leipzig in 1989.
I joined a group of fellow media artists (Francis Hunger, Charlotte Eifler, Su Yu Hsin, Gabriel S. Moses) and together we wrote this open letter https://web.archive.org/web/20240104161102/https://artwashing-leipzig.de/open-letter/
The open letter got quite a bit of attention in Germany and internationally. It was signed by more than 900 people, many influential thinkers among them.
Media coverage
- commentary of “Monopol” editor-in-chief: “Kontroverse um “Dimensions”-Ausstellung in Leipzig”: https://www.monopol-magazin.de/kontroverse-um-dimensions-ausstellung-leipzig
- coverage by BBK Berlin: https://www.bbk-berlin.de/en/news/08052023-artwashing-leipzig-open-letter-why-palantir-sponsoring-dimensions-art-exhibition