documenta 14 was the fourteenth edition of the art exhibition documenta and took place in 2017 in both Kassel, Germany, its traditional home, and Athens, Greece. It was held first in Athens from 8 April to 16 July,[1] and in Kassel from 10 June to 17 September 2017. As part of the concept of the artistic director Adam Szymczyk, the exhibition proceeded in both countries with most featured artists working at both locations.[2]
The documenta is a series of contemporary art exhibitions. It takes place every five years (originally every four years) and lasts 100 days each; It is therefore also referred to as a museum of 100 days. The first documenta was organized in 1955 and went back to the initiative of Arnold Bode. The location of the Documenta is normally Kassel.
At the time of documenta, the Athens Biennale took place in parallel in Athens. The program of the biennale, which has been taking place since 2007, was designed as a counter-proposal to the German art show.
Many Greek artists questioned the ability of Germans to explain who they were. The documenta is aimed primarily at foreign tourists and not at the residents of Athens. The Athens artist Poka-Yio said that “this exhibition could just as easily have taken place in Zurich, in Basel or anywhere else”.[3]