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03/03/2021 | Campus-Meldung

Morris Joffe "on behalf of ..."

The corona virus and its associated consequences also have a negative impact on the human psyche.* "Corona lockdown means loneliness for a great many people, and I too struggle with it," admits Morris Joffe, a 3rd-semester visual arts student at the Kassel University of the Arts. "There is a lack of face-to-face encounters and as a result we are increasingly forced to communicate in writing," Joffe explains. The pandemic has changed the way we communicate, he says.

To offer people a forum, he launched a survey last year: "I called on my fellow students and friends to tell me what was on their minds," says Joffe. In doing so, he by no means had voyeuristic impulses such as divulging secrets about others: "I wanted to create a forum of listening for the thoughts entrusted to me, whether positive or negative, by reading out the anonymized messages as a lecture-performance as part of the alternative tour of the art academy," says the performer.

Joffe conveyed the messages entrusted to him in an uncommented and neutral manner. "The relational level of a message is prevented by the use of administrative language. That's why I deliberately played with this distance by titling my project 'on behalf of ...'."

For the student, it was the first time to show art in public space. He chose the ICH monument on the Brüder-Grimm-Platz (Brothers Grimm Square) (Kassel) for his lecture-performance in July 2020. The artwork, created by Hans Traxler, is intended to motivate people to climb onto this pedestal. The basis of the work is the sentence, "Every person is unique." Although Joffe stood on the ICH column, it was about anything but his person: "I only acted "on behalf of ...". I myself was secondary and acted as a mouthpiece for my fellow students* and friends."

All the positive feedback encouraged Joffe to continue with his project. On a regular basis, he will motivate other people to tell him what is on their minds and present the feedback publicly. "Formats of this kind are indispensable. We have to learn again and again to listen to our counterparts in a non-judgmental way," Joffe explains.

(Text: Çiğdem Özdemir)

Press contact
Cigdem Özdemir
Kunsthochschule Kassel
presse[at]kunsthochschulekassel.de

*Cf._{www.deutschlandfunkkultur.de/soziologe-ueber-einsamkeit-im-lockdown-gefangen-wie-in.990.de.html?dram:article_id=491291
(last accessed 25.02.2021)}