This year's Ibug street art festival in Chemnitz is over, but criticism of the way some of the exhibited works were handled continues. In a letter from critics to the Ibug board, which is available to Deutsche Presse-Agentur, it is to be welcomed that several experts were consulted to examine the accusations of anti-Semitism. However, it is surprising that no expert from the field of anti-Semitism research was involved.
Critics criticize one-sided presentation
In addition, according to the critics, the artworks were categorized by statements from the artists, but not with the critical objections. "In this context, we were very surprised that you did not allow our criticism of the anti-Semitic artworks to become part of these presentations." According to the letter, this gives the impression of a one-sided presentation. The signatories include Chemnitz mathematics professor Vladimir Shikhman and Vladimir Shvemmer, Chemnitz Peace Prize Laureate 2023, who say that it gives the impression "that you wanted to withhold the content of our criticism from the public". "With the best will in the world, you can't call that contextualization."
