by Hubert Thurnhofer, Curator of the exhibition

Artworks of this exhibition see gallery slideshow

For many centuries it was true that science creates knowledge. But now the search for truth to deepen and expand our knowledge has been abolished. The sovereignty of politicians and lobbyists to interpret replaces scientific knowledge. Governments have issued a decree stipulating that a virus is more dangerous than all others, a decree can not compare influenza and Covid, a decree must prevent “triage”. In short, the highly reliable solution of the best scientific-medical system that mankind has ever had is undermined and undermined by political decrees. Medical problems are created by decree that politicians take control of to solve.

The Austrian constitution provides for freedom of science and freedom of art, but what has become of the constitution? Culture, too, has lost its autonomy, because it has either fallen as a victim to commerce or is dependent on subsidies from politics. Art in itself - regardless of whether it is composition, poetry or fine art - is ideally pure creative work without compulsion and without a precisely defined purpose. This form of creation - creating ideas for new developments without political and economic pressure - should also be assumed as an ideal of the sciences, because research requires just as much creativity in dealing with the respective object as the creative process of composers, poets and visual artists. The reality of academic research, however, is characterized by bureaucracy and restriction to the recognized canon. The reality of science shows in its dependence on research funding.

“Die Zeit”, the German weekly newspaper with the most academic readers, wrote in view of the first critical objections to the corona theories of the politically accredited experts: “It is said again and again these days: Researchers are at odds and are constantly changing their minds. That is not true, and to claim it is dangerous. ”With this statement, free science is degraded to an ideology that is aligned with the same and anyone who characterizes researchers as divided has no idea about science. One can only say, „ whoever does not look for the essence of research in the diverse disciplines, but rather finds it in its simple-minded discipline, has no idea of ​​the theory of science.“ In addition, to state that something is "dangerous" is more than absurd; it is not scientific, but only ideologically justifiable!

As a reminder, according to Karl Popper, scientific is a thesis that can be falsified. The counter-thesis to a prevailing thesis is not unscientific, but the assertion that one should not make any counter-theses or even seriously investigate them. Today it is not the scientists who fight with arguments and counter-arguments, but rather politicians - and the media that they feed with advertising - with propaganda terms. The two most important terms are "corona deniers" and "conspiracy theorists".

"Corona denier" is semantically on the same level as "God denier". If this is to be an argument against critics, then the representatives of the absolute corona truth are not immunologists, virologists or epidemiologists, but the "corona believers", like the "believers in God" in the Middle Ages and their last instance: the inquisition. Regarding the conspiracy theory, it can be said that it is initially a theory like any other. But the majority of politicians are obviously afraid of people who are able to form theories on the basis of independent research and considerations and must therefore defame anyone, who is able to do so as “conspiracy theorists”. "Better a conspiracy theorist than a conspiracy practitioner," says the critic of the Corona policy, Christian Zeitz.

If the claim “There is no pandemic” is a conspiracy theory, then according to the rules of science this statement should be falsifiable at any time. But nobody tries to falsify this simple thesis. Instead, the advocates of this thesis are defamed. So the rules of science - again by decree - are overridden. As we know from history, these are methods of dictatorships. This is political propaganda.

Since the pandemic was declared by the WHO on March 11, 2020, the dominant science has not been able to answer the most important questions regarding the corona virus. What is the difference between corona and influenza? Why can corona only be treated with lockdown and vaccination? How do you strengthen people's immune systems?

It is imperative that science cannot answer these questions unless it asks these questions. It is illogical but true that politics created a fait accompli, that has nothing to do with democracy. Can art contribute to a paradigm shift and create a new beginning?

According to Joseph Beuys, "art is the only revolutionary force. Only through human creativity can conditions change." And Oskar Kokoschka said, "he who sees sees one." (Source: Otto Hans Ressler, Our art ends there, Vienna 2021)

See also, the opinions of the artist (in german).