The Opposite of Now

Artistic Paths to a Different Present

In a time of crises, a disturbing now, the Jewish Museum Berlin goes in search of something different, something better—an opposite.

– Yael Bartana, The Birds (Die Vögel), Videostill, 2026: Courtesy of Sommer Contemporary Art, Tel Aviv; Galleria Raffaella Cortese, Milan; Petzel Gallery, New York; Capitain Petzel, Berlin and Cecilia Hillström Gallery, Stockholm

Twelve artists aid us in this effort. They probe the existing order for an opening, a path to a different present. Some draw on Jewish traditions, others on thinkers such as Ernst Bloch or Theodor W. Adorno, who championed a better society in dark times.

On the occasion of the twenty-fifth anniversary of its founding, the museum dares to look ahead: into the open, toward the possible. The exhibition considers the power of individuals and the community to imagine a better life for all. This power changes, and it can also grow. The Opposite of Now seeks to explore and inspire it.

With Yael Bartana, Andrea Büttner, Chto Delat International, Arnold Dreyblatt, William Forsythe, Dana Kavelina, Alexander Kluge, Daniel Laufer, Dor Zlekha Levy, Ari Benjamin Meyers, Alona Rodeh, Eran Schaerf.

Runtime: Fri, 04/09/2026 to Sun, 10/01/2027

Takes place here:

• Jüdisches Museum Berlin