Democracy – the voice of freedom
Exhibition of contemporary artists from Lippe at the Robert Koepke House in Schwalenberg
Each year, the Cultural Agency of the Lippe Regional Association invites artists from the Ostwestfalen-Lippe region to take part in a theme-based exhibition, organized and curated by the agency’s art consultant, Dr. Mayarí Granados. In this way, the multifaceted and diverse art scene of the region is presented through current works.
At the beginning of 2025, the theme “Democracy – Voice of Freedom” was proposed to the artists. Even at that time, it was becoming clear that the seeming certainty of democracy as a stable component of social and political life in Western Europe and other parts of the world was beginning to falter. How quickly democracies once considered stable could be dismantled in some countries still came as a surprise. It is a situation against which people must stand up if they want to preserve their freedoms. At the same time, we must be aware that only a small percentage of people worldwide actually live in a democracy. Freedom of expression, freedom of the press, and a free, democratic way of life are not guaranteed in large parts of the world.
The participating artists highlight diverse aspects of democracy and the concept of freedom in their works. They raise questions, encourage reflection, and draw attention to facts that have previously received little notice. Their aim is to shake us awake and remind us that it is we who shape our social order—and that we must stand up for democratic and liberal values.
The exhibition is varied and thought-provoking, featuring abstract and figurative works as well as sculptures and installations.
Participating artists:
Christel Aytekin, Henning Bertram, Christine Brand, Elisabeth Brosterhus, Annely Delker, Friedefrau Deutsch, Nicole Drude, Gabriela Evard, Andreas Fuchs, Nils Grube, Dagmar Hagemann, Gudrun Harff, Petra Jammers-Wichmann, Annegret Johannesmann, Erika Kohls, Meike Lothmann, Christa Niestrath, Karin Oestreich, Igor Oster, Axel Plöger, Gesa Reuter, H-Punkt Schmidt, Irene Schramm-Biermann, Günter Schulz, Dagmar Stark, Ruth Stechemesser, Klaus Zeitz.
In addition to the special exhibitions, the permanent exhibition dedicated to the house’s namesake, Robert Koepke, can be viewed on the first floor of the Robert Koepke House during exhibition hours.
Fig.: Irene Schramm-Biermann, Democratic Life Worldwide 2025, acrylic on canvas, 80 × 130 cm, 2025
© Schramm-Biermann
Fig.: Karin Oestreich: The Cross with the Little Cross, mixed-media collage, 95 × 70 cm, 2025 (detail) © K. Oestreich
Fig.: H-Punkt
