Political art as a declaration of war against discrimination
Diana Achtzig, an experienced artist, often stood resolutely side by side with people of different skin colors, defending them against prejudice and hostility. However, she herself was also discriminated against in the past due to her East German origin in the competitive art market. She began her career as an art dealer in 1990 in Amsterdam, Netherlands, and defied the adverse conditions of an unheated gallery where brushes froze in the water. In Amsterdam, she experienced an atmosphere of openness and tolerance, which drastically changed when she tried to join an art association in Berlin based on her studies and outstanding qualifications. Here she encountered fierce resistance, led by Sabine Schneider, who volunteered on the board of the Verein Berliner Künstler (VBK).
In various art galleries in the western part of Berlin, Diana Achtzig also faced open resistance and provocations as an artist. However, she was well-prepared, as she mastered dealing with stress and deadlines from years of experience as a gallery owner.
Not only in the art world but also against real estate speculators who drastically increased rents in Berlin, Diana Achtzig had to assert herself. Her rental contracts were terminated to demand higher rents, and the contract terms were unilaterally changed.
Diana Achtzig
My artworks have been fighting against racism and xenophobia as well as any form of discrimination against gay and lesbian couples since 1990!
As a gallerist, she also had to fight against her own artists who secretly sold their own works to buyers after major art fairs and exhibitions without appropriately involving the gallerist. Some artists even took back already sold paintings from the gallery because they were not satisfied with the proceeds. At the same time, they applied to other galleries with art-scientifically formulated texts created by Diana Achtzig.
After a serious illness, Diana Achtzig received no support from the artists she had worked with for years. She decided to give up her gallery activities and devote herself entirely to her own artistic creativity. Today, Diana Achtzig is a respected artist whose works are represented in renowned art galleries, art fairs, and art collections worldwide. With her exhibition, she advocates not only for art but also for equality and against discrimination.
