The photo shows the northern courtyard of the Reichstag building in Berlin on September 12, 2000, immediately after the start of Hans Haacke’s participatory long-term project. Over the past 25 years, the former gravel bed surrounding the neon letters DER BEVÖLKERUNG (TO THE POPULATION), modeled on the Reichstag’s dedication DEM DEUTSCHEN VOLKE (TO THE GERMAN PEOPLE), has transformed into a plant-rich, self-sustaining ecosystem. Well over 500 parliamentarians, often accompanied by citizens, have so far accepted Haacke’s invitation: All current and future members of the German Bundestag are invited to participate in the artwork DER BEVÖLKERUNG with a hundredweight of soil from their constituencies.
derbevoelkerung.de/en/

The title VORSICHT DEMOKRATIE! (Caution Democracy!) refers – in a similar vein to Klaus Staeck’s legendary 1982 poster CAUTION ART! – to both the vulnerability and transformative power of democratic culture. Klaus Staeck has specially adapted and provided his iconic slogan for our campaign.