Since the advent of modernity, art has been associated with freedom, provocation and courage. In 1972, art was to unfold its potential as an emancipatory and creative force as part of the Gesamtkunstwerk of the XX. Olympic Games in Munich—according to the grand vision of its planners. The international avant-garde of the time, including Walter de Maria, Gerhard Richter, Andy Warhol and Dan Flavin, enthusiastically developed revolutionary concepts. Many of these remained in draft-form. After the tragic assassination of Israeli athletes, concepts such as the ‘Spielstraße’ were canceled. This publication is the first to give an impression of the playful, participatory cultural programme of 1972. In the second part of the book, a multitude of voices from all over the world look to the future. International authors and artists use contemporary examples to convey the importance of the arts in shaping the democratic society of the future.

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