Alex Wissel

In the exhibition Der zwanglose Zwang (The Unforced Force) which takes place at Kunstverein Bielefeld
from March 1 to April 27, 2025, the visual artist, set designer, and actor Alex Wissel continues his
longstanding exploration of the origin of anti-democratic and identity-based politics of right-wing
populism. This exploration culminates in new groups of installations specifically developed for this
exhibition.

At the center of the exhibition is the figure of philosopher Jürgen Habermas, representing the
communication theory he shaped, which has significantly influenced the cultural self-perception of
public debates in the Federal Republic of Germany since 1945. In his Theory of Communicative Action,
Habermas argues that the best argument prevails through rational persuasion without external coercion.
Wissel juxtaposes this concept with our contemporary moment, shaped by neo-reactionary thinkers
such as Nick Land, Peter Thiel, and Elon Musk. These figures no longer view freedom as part of
democracy but advocate for a fully privatized public sphere, which Habermas would describe as a
“destroyed public sphere.”