Diversity
Life is Diverse
Diversity means multifaceted! Affirming this means reducing, and ideally, eradicating discrimination.
In a multifarious society there is room for everyone. So diversity has to do with inclusion. Everyone can and may be involved, take part. These current societal themes are much-debated. www.divers2023.ch addresses the present state of the debate and explains the terms and conflicts, albeit without providing a reply to every question. This digital format is oriented around seven aspects of diversity: gender, sexual orientation, ethnic background, social background, faith, disability and age. Language is both the arena and the subject of these debates, which is why it is included as an additional topic.
www.divers2023.ch is related to the two exhibitions Zanele Muholi and Sincerely, Walter Pfeiffer, both of which speak about queer identities, racism, self-discovery and self-empowerment. That is why the themes of gender, sexual orientation and ethnic background are dealt with in greater detail, despite the fact that all aspects of diversity are of equal importance. In any case, the different aspects of diversity often intersect. Age influences our life, irrespective of our skin colour or gender. Discrimination can be aimed simultaneously at several of our features: female, black, queer, etc.
We
The Kunstmuseum Luzern is in a privileged position at the heart of Europe. This has shaped our view of the world. We are quite aware of this fact. So we, as an institution and as individuals, want to learn and further develop.
Which is why we engage with the art of Zanele Muholi, Walter Pfeiffer and many others, why we seek allies with other viewpoints, and why our explanations represent simply a point in time in a longer process.
“Gender Terror and Woke Madness”
The inclusion of everyone in all realms of life involves social, linguistic and cultural changes that also meet with rejection. According to a survey conducted in early summer 2023, Swiss people listed as the «greatest annoyances related to current events: Credit Suisse mismanagement/bonuses (58%), climate (glue) activists (51%) and gender debates, ‹Wokeness› (50%). Through the discussions in the field of politics, the press and social media, terms can change their meaning over a short space of time and be understood as negative instead of positive. Woke is a good example of this.
The fact that “Gender Terror and Woke Madness” are included alongside Energy, Asylum Policy, Health and Agriculture in the party programme of the Swiss People’s Party (SVP) for 2023–2027 indicates just how important the themes have become and the forces and emotions they awaken.
