Emmy Hennings – Sitara Abuzar Ghaznawi

At Cabaret Voltaire, Hennings’ (1885–1948) writings and paintings enter into an associative dialogue with the works of Sitara Abuzar Ghaznawi (1995).

Emmy Hennings was probably the most present figure in Cabaret Voltaire, and co-founder with Hugo Ball. Only recently she has received recognition and her trace is missing in the male-dominated Dada historicisation. The recurring themes proposed in her work are the close relationship between faith and ecstasy and the opposition captivity/freedom.

Sitara Abuzar Ghaznawi is a young artist born in Ghazni/Afghanistan and her works appear fragile and poetic, a characteristic she shares, amongst other things, with Hennings. Characteristic of her formal language is the self-made and the use of everyday, often worthless material and the artist focuses her attention on power structures, possibilities of participation, forms of aesthetics, craft and knowledge