Exhibition opening SPRAWIEDLIWOŚĆ - JUSTICE
What is the state of the rule of law in Poland? A current exhibition at the Forum Recht Foundation offers insights into this topic
On the evening of February 15, 2024, the Forum Recht Foundation launched the Opening of her first exhibition, SPRAWIEDLIWOŚĆ – GERECHTIGKEIT as part of the 2024 annual program. Visitors crowded into every nook and cranny of the event spaces in Karlsruhe to Piotr Wójciks to explore photographic perspectives on the resilience and steadfastness of the Polish judicial system and its representatives. The judges and attorneys portrayed by Wójcik have been fighting for over eight years against the dismantling of the rule of law by the national-conservative PiS party (Prawo i Sprawiedliwość).
The Constitutional Court is often the first target of an attack on the rule of law.
Defending the Judiciary—From Poland to Germany
Given the rise of anti-democratic attitudes in politics and society, the vulnerability of the rule of law is a highly topical issue in Germany as well. „The Constitutional Court is often the first target of an attack on the rule of law. The loss of independent constitutional review paves the way for a restructuring of the entire judicial system,“ explained Johannes Vöhler, a research associate at the Chair of European and International Law at the University of Freiburg, during his lecture at the opening ceremony. „The case of Poland should serve as an opportunity to reflect on the resilience of the rule of law in Germany.“
The photographer also appealed Piotr Wójcik on society’s willingness to engage in dialogue and debate: Due respect for legal representatives and institutions must not, as all too often happens in Poland, turn into reluctance to engage, disinterest, or mistrust. In the panel discussion with Thomas Stelzl, head of the Education and Outreach Department at the Forum Recht Foundation, the photographer repeatedly emphasized how important it is to show the humanity of the judges and attorneys he portrays. In conclusion, Wójcik underscored the political dimension of the exhibition: „What I’m saying may sound trite: Nothing is certain—not even our fundamental rights and our Constitution. We must defend them every single day. In Poland, we are currently experiencing just how difficult it is to restore the status quo of the rule of law from the time before the PiS government.“ Afterward, [name] invited Dr Stephan N. Barthelmess, acting director of the Forum Recht Foundation, invites visitors to see the exhibition for themselves.
Between Culture, Politics, and the Judiciary: A Diverse Forum
In the photos, the subjects gaze at the viewer with a sense of solemn warning—some have taken off their uniform robes, posing at times as heroines, at other times as thinkers. And despite all their differences, they all stand together as symbols of indomitable spirit and an unshakable belief in justice.
Surrounded by the striking images, lively conversations broke out among the approximately 100 visitors: „My family is originally from Warsaw, so I’ve been confronted with the events in Poland from a young age,“ replied a young man, for example, when asked about his interest in the exhibition. He came with a friend; both are high school students active in a political party’s youth organization and enjoy engaging with politics in their free time. „Last fall, I was able to vote in Poland for the first time,“ said the 18-year-old, adding that while he was proud of the majority of people in his parents„ country who had chosen the path back to democracy and the rule of law, “there is still a lot of work to be done.”.
To the photographer and the curator Dominique Roynette Working together with the foundation’s team, we succeeded that evening in bringing the foundation’s “forum” concept to life: Citizens from a wide range of social, cultural, and political backgrounds gathered here to learn more about the rule of law and to discuss it. Polish organizations such as Polonia – Forum Polnischer Kultur e.V. were represented, as was the mayor of Karlsruhe Dr. Frank Mentrup and artists and cultural professionals from Karlsruhe and the surrounding area.
Exhibition Visit and Accompanying Program
Would you like to see for yourself? You’re cordially invited to visit the exhibition while it’s still through April 7, 2024 at the Forum Recht Foundation, Karlstraße 45 A, 71366 Karlsruhe. Admission is free! A selection of photographs can also be viewed in the storefront windows of the Leipzig location, Universitätsstraße 20, 04109 Leipzig.
In addition to the photo exhibition, the Forum Recht Foundation is offering a supporting program featuring panel discussions, film screenings at the Kinemathek Karlsruhe, and a Polish brunch. Visitors can explore the exhibition on their own or take part in free guided tours. You can find out more about the accompanying program and all the details regarding the exhibition here: "Sprawiedliwość" Exhibition | Forum Recht Foundation.
The Exhibition Explore SPRAWIEDLIWOŚĆ - JUSTICE (in German only) is a collaboration between the Forum Recht Foundation and the Fundacja Picture Doc Warsaw.
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