AT THE FUNERAL OF WAR 2026-2028
We are at a crucial moment in history. Conflicts rage in different parts of the world, while diplomatic efforts try to maintain or restore peace. The balance of power is shifting, with increasing tensions between major powers such as the US, China and Russia.
War and peace are complex concepts, shaped by geopolitical tensions, economic interests and ideological divisions. Cyber warfare, economic sanctions and disinformation campaigns now play a major role in global conflicts. The idea of peace has also changed: it is no longer just about the absence of war, but also includes human rights, economic stability and ecological security.
It is time for a new artistic, topical and cultural-political investigation, resulting in the multi-year art manifestation: ‘At the Funeral of War'
Joseph Sassoon Semah:
“War is an undeniable part of our human existence. We live between peace and war or between war and peace. The end of every war can be read in two ways. Either as the despair of total destruction, or as the despair of a certain form of humanity, which is also always present. Even in the context of measuring time, every war has only a limited amount of economic, physical and emotional energy to expend.”
The central theme is the complex relationship between the 'politics of war' and the 'politics of peace'. By placing biblical texts about Noah and texts by, among others, Augustine of Hippo and Immanuel Kant, author of ‘Towards Eternal Peace’, alongside contemporary authors and his own texts on war and peace, Joseph Sassoon Semah investigates how art can contribute to understanding and reflecting on this dynamic. With ‘Funeral of War' we want to bring together art, philosophy, religious writings and contemporary theories on war, peace and hope around urgent questions about war and peace.
