THE FUNDAMENT OF DEMOCRACY
80 Years Parliament Düsseldorf, Week of Democracy, Parliament, Düsseldorf
The image of the “ground” symbolizes stability, a base, and a foundation. In a democracy, these are fundamental rights, equal opportunity, freedom of expression, and citizens’ participation in the political process. Democracy is not a static state but a proactive process. For this reason, people themselves form the base and foundation of every democracy. Through their actions—or inaction—they shape both light and shadow. Making this visible and tangible is one of the central ideas behind the work created for the Düsseldorf State Parliament’s 80th anniversary as part of the Democracy Week.
The floor projection allows visitors to immerse themselves in the projected texts and become projection surfaces themselves. It also empowers them to explore the space and text on their own and make them “legible.” The accompanying vertical projections onto the sandstone facades in the entrance area and inside the rotunda reflect on and comment on the floor projections, but also function as a “glowing, opening gateway” to the city, inviting everyone—visible from afar—to come closer and become part of the action on the forecourt.
Five sequences with different content visualize various aspects of the 80th anniversary of the North Rhine-Westphalia State Parliament and the concept of democracy.