We are the People

VA.NNJKOMAQ (HM.eyb), Leipzig, 2014-22

 

We Are the People, day 1

 

A monument to the 70.000 residents of Leipzig who peacefully protested against East German authorities on October 9, 1989, two days after the GDR celebrated its 40th anniversary, calling for increased freedom of movement and the right to vote in fair and free elections. They used courage as a weapon, de-escalation as a tactic, and humility as a strategy.

“We Are the People!” banner-waving crowds, fueled by despair, fear and a feeling of hopelessness, marched by the neighborhood Stasi headquarters while obstructing traffic around the city's ring road. Although tension was high, at the crucial moment, riot police and troops moved aside to make room for the demonstrators. the demonstrations remained peaceful. The only thing keeping a carnage from happening and that is down to the behavior of the Leipzig citizens who gave the police and paramilitaries no reason to intervene. It was a great atmosphere. This is the evening their parents have been waiting for.

We are the People, day 1, detail

 

The movement originated as The Monday demonstrations, a series of peaceful political protests against the government of the German Democratic Republic that took place in towns and cities around the country on various days of the week from 1989 to 1991. The Leipzig demonstrations, which are the most well known, took place on Mondays.

Various Artists chose the site of Leipziger Messe, build on the grounds of the old airport after the German Reunification. The "Neue Messe" could be seen as a symbol of/home to the at the time much coveted Capitalism from the West. But the site breaths, looks, and feels as the old GDR regime. An "Open to the Public" webcam mounted at the 85 meters high Leipziger Messe tower was taking round the clock images (1) from the exhibition grounds. The data was wirelessly transmitted to the administration building of the fair, and played there on the internet. Walking (2) in circles on the scene provoked the appearance of a security-team in minutes.

  1. they collected 35.000 pictures

  2. In Februari 2014, Various Artists walked from 9 to 5 for 5 days.