THE WOKE AWARD, CONCEPT NR. 135 FROM THE HIMMELSBACH CATALOGUE OF IDEAS
HIMMELSBACH
The Woke Award is currently not on display, it has been stolen during the Woke Award at the IMPAKT Festival 2024
Is wokeness the new political correctness? Is it simply morality in overdrive? Is the struggle against social injustice limiting the space for ambiguity, idiosyncrasy, critical self-examination and humility. Once claimed by the left, the term ‘woke’ is now mostly used in right wing circles to ridicule its opponents.The Woke Award distances itself from right wing gut sentiments opposing everything ‘woke’ and allows for space to examine the current interpretation of the term.
As part of the IMPAKT Festival 2024: DEAL WITH IT, in collaboration with artist HIMMELSBACH, a panel of experts each nominated one candidate for the Woke Award. Prior to the award show, people from the audience were able to nominate candidates: from moralist of the year and goody-two-shoes officials, to the museum that – despite their good intentions, or because they are motivated by opportunism – only confirms the cultural status quo. Institutions and people who fulfilled their ideals in a beautiful, quirky and inspiring way, were also among the nominees. The winner received the Woke Award, which is now on display here.
The Woke Award is an elaboration of concept no. 135 from the HIMMELSBACH catalogue of ideas. The complete HIMMELSBACH catalogue of ideas is on display on the first floor.