A new exhibition in Berlin revisits the provocative work of German artist Christoph Schlingensief, whose confrontational art challenged societal taboos and explored the intersections of media, politics, and spectacle. The show, titled *It’s Not My Problem Anymore, Deal With Your Own Shit*, is currently on display at the Gropius Bau gallery through January 17.
Central to the exhibition is Schlingensief’s 2006 theatrical production *Kaprow City*, which debuted at Berlin’s Volksbühne theatre and sparked controversy for its vivid and unsettling imagery. Drawing inspiration from the actions of US performance artist Allan Kaprow, *Kaprow City* focused on the public life and death of Diana, Princess of Wales, incorporating scenes such as the then-queen performing a Nazi salute and a graphic re-enactment of the paparazzi chase that caused Diana’s fatal car crash. Other elements included Diana portrayed alongside men with Down’s syndrome and scenes involving Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, doused with animal blood.
While these depictions provoked strong reactions — including tabloid headlines accusing Schlingensief of outrage — the artist maintained his intention was an inquiry into how Diana evolved into a modern cultural icon. The installation at Gropius Bau features parts of the original rotating stage device Schlingensief called the "animatrograph,” alongside video excerpts and enlarged tabloid headlines, allowing visitors to engage with the fragmented and layered experience that audiences encountered in the 2006 production. The stage’s design, influenced by Kaprow’s concept of multiple simultaneous happenings, fragmented the audience’s view of the performance into small, intimate chambers.
Schlingensief’s widow and stage designer, Aino Laberenz, cautions against interpreting *Kaprow City* solely through the prism of Diana’s life, emphasizing the broader context of his work, which blurred theatre, film, and visual art to critique media power and celebrity culture. Schlingensief, who died in 2010 from lung cancer aged just under 50, was notably influenced by New German Cinema directors like Rainer Werner Fassbinder and frequently merged art with political activism.
The exhibition also features *The African Twin Towers*, a 2007 project in which Schlingensief collaborated with Namibian actors to confront Germany’s colonial history. The work staged mythic narratives on location at Shark Island, the site of a former German concentration camp. While the installation presents striking imagery and themes, it raises questions about the balance between artistic vision and historical sensitivity.
Schlingensief’s engagement with far-right politics remains a salient theme. His 2000 project *Ausländer Raus! Schlingensief’s Container* confronted Austria’s rising far-right politics by placing asylum seekers under public surveillance, allowing audiences to vote on which individuals would be deported. His 2009 staging of *Hamlet* incorporated former far-right extremists performing key scenes amid far-right rock music and Nazi symbolism, underscoring his belief that art must confront societal issues rather than offer escapism.
The exhibition highlights the enduring relevance of Schlingensief’s work amid the continued prominence of far-right movements in Europe. His art anticipated the way extremist groups have appropriated spectacle and media aesthetics as political tools, turning cruelty into public entertainment. Laberenz reflects on Schlingensief’s legacy, emphasizing a collective responsibility to engage actively with social and political challenges rather than deferring to others.
*It’s Not My Problem Anymore, Deal With Your Own Shit* offers a comprehensive glimpse into Schlingensief’s confrontational and provocative artistic universe, inviting reflection on media culture, political extremism, and the role of art in contemporary society.