'Extreme Tension': How Art Reflects the Turbulent Journey of Progress and Innovation in a Postwar World
The end of World War II paved the way for progress, but peace was not the only prize. People around the world wanted more and were willing to work for it. Presidents wanted to send astronauts to the moon. Women wanted to continue working, and maybe own the latest luxury handbag. Dreams were sold seamlessly through the screens of new televisions sitting in people's living rooms.
Extreme Tension: Art between Politics and Society (1945-2000) is showing at the Neue Nationalgalerie until September 28, 2025. The collection is curated by Joachim Jäger, Maike Steinkamp, and Marta Smolińska. Its works are just as eclectic as Berlin, the city, where history meets modernity at every corner. Change is one common thread in Extreme Tension, contributing to the culture of work, consumerism, media, and innovation that continues to dominate today. Below are a handful of notable German pieces that speak to this alluring theme of global progress, connected to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal of Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure.
The art world kept up with the sweeping changes of the 1960s. Experimental movements emphasizing process over product, such as Fluxus, rose in popularity alongside new technologies. Endogene Depression (Madrid 1984 Version) was conceived by German artist and Fluxus pioneer Wolf Vostell, the first artist to integrate a television set into a work of art. With the title referencing biology and the screen displaying static noise, Vostell conveys his skepticism toward the mass media consumption that has become ingrained in human nature.
German painter Uwe Pfeifer's End of The Work Day likewise draws attention to more mundane aspects of the everyday. Faceless people exit the subway and toss out the morning paper. They're ready to go home (maybe watch TV) and repeat it all tomorrow. Apart from the colour palette, where bright pinks and greens juxtapose dreary shades of grey, this work is compelling because it represents reality just as it is.
In contrast, the Hermès bag, readymade by German conceptual artist Cosima von Bonin, is an object of the mundane and looks mundane but represents much more. The bag is compelling for what it represents: a luxury brand known for style and sophistication. In a 2006 New York Times article, late arts journalist Grace Glueck interpreted von Bonin's contemporary designer products and wrote, "Here Ms. von Bonin's Marxist-Freudian intentions become explicit: consumer goods are animated by fantasies that people unconsciously project onto them."
Space travel was another fantasy shared by people around the world. With men in spacesuits against the backdrop of a blue sky, Cosmonauts by German artist Juri Koroljow captures the glory and excitement of exploring the unknown and what was once thought impossible. Given the Cold War rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union at the time, this is another fitting piece for Extreme Tension.
The exhibition’s title reflects the artistic diversity and societal division during the late 20th century, both of which have led to incredible transformations. Extreme Tension recognizes this by featuring the tangible outcomes achieved by various industries, from aerospace and fashion to mass communication. It shows the integral role of innovation in society, whether that's to improve access to information, drive economic growth, or spark social change. This theme is further explored in relation to the human individual, who naturally craves novelty, luxury, escape, or all of the above.
Extreme Tension: Art between Politics and Society (1945-2000) looks back on previous decades, but the messages in this exhibition are evergreen — work culture still permeates the 21st century with intensity and innovation shows no signs of slowing down. While it's normal and wonderful for people to want to work toward lofty goals, just as crucial is to ask why and at what cost.