Documenta: Alexander Farrenholtz becomes interim managing director

Cultural Director Alexander Farrenholtz, from 2002 to 2020, founding board member and managing director of the Federal Cultural Foundation, was unanimously appointed interim managing director of the document by the Supervisory Board of the documenta und Museum Fridericianum gGmbH on Monday. This was officially announced tonight. He was already the Managing Director of Documenta GmbH at Documenta 9 under the technical direction of Jan Hoet.

“The contributors to the document are delighted and grateful to have been awarded such an experienced and renowned cultural director for this important international art fair in Kassel in a position that has been challenging for the document,” it said in a statement. Farenholtz will take up his job tomorrow, Tuesday, after which he will immediately begin talks with the technical director. His commitment is initially limited to September 30th.

The gallery’s general manager Sabine Schuermann resigned on Saturday after heated discussions. Among other things, the 60-year-old was accused of failing to deal with an anti-Semitism scandal. This had previously begun with allegations against the Indonesian artist group Ruangrupa, which organized the 100-day exhibition. Shortly after the opening of the gallery, which is considered the most important exhibition of contemporary art besides the Venice Biennale, a work of the Indonesian art group Taring Padi with anti-Semitic images caused a complete scandal.