Part of the exhibition "Theorimata 2: On History" at EMST (National Museum of Contemporary Art), Athens, 1st October - 1st November 2020.

"The work Trauma refers to the attempted assassination against the German politician Wolfgang Schäuble, in Oppenau, on 12 October 1990, at a time when he was in charge of the negotiations concerning the reunification of Germany. Schäuble could be considered the last invalid of World War II, the wounds of which he tried to heal – with practices that have often been questioned – while, later, he played an important part in the injury of the European ideal. Although the artist’s decision to work with a photograph of Schäuble in the emergency room goes back quite a few months before the current pandemic, one cannot help but think of the European national health systems, presently tested beyond their limits and wounded by austerity policies supported by politicians such as the one depicted."

Dionissia Giakoumi, Phd Art history, Curator, G. Gounaropoulos Museum