This project investigates the cultural politics and artistic output of the German Democratic Republic (GDR) during the 1980s and asks whether we can analyze GDR art independently of the state’s regime. By examining the country’s 1982 national exhibition alongside its alternative art scene, the research aims to uncover discrepancies and connections between official and unofficial art practices in the GDR, challenging the narrative of East German art as purely propagandistic.

In 1982, East Germany held the 9th quadrennial national exhibition in Dresden. It showcased the accomplishments of 1,400 students and faculty from art academies across the country. That same year, emerging young artists defiantly launched independent poetry magazines in Berlin and in Dresden. These innovative editorial projects inspired the new generation to distribute their works through artists’ books, magazines, and other alternative channels, building collaborative cross-media networks in the years leading up to the peaceful revolution of 1989.