In his interdisciplinary artistic practice, Hans Haacke investigates economic, ecological, and political processes and systems and questions prevailing power relations. The photograph Wir (Alle) sind das Volk (We (All) are the People) was created in 2003 as part of an unrealized competition proposal for the courtyard of St. Nicolas Church in Leipzig. The 600 points of light on the pavement, which blink at irregular intervals, together with the sentence “Wir (Alle) sind das Volk” projected in blue light onto the church facade invoke the memory of the peaceful East German protests in 1989. Through his minimal change to the slogan of that time, “Wir sind das Volk” (We are the people), Haacke questions the ideas behind the terms “we” and “people,” thus precluding possible racist reinterpretations of the historical phrase. Since 2003, Haacke has continued to develop the concept and has shown the work internationally at various venues, including documenta 14 (in Athens and Kassel), the Stedelijk Museum voor Actuele Kunst (S.M.A.K.) in Ghent, the New Museum in New York, and – on the initiative of Neuer Berliner Kunstverein in cooperation with numerous partner institutions – as part of Art Week 2020 in Berlin. With the photo edition for n.b.k., Haacke refers back to the original concept of the now canonical work.

Haacke is a multiple participant in the Venice Biennale (2015; 2009; 1993; 1976) and Documenta (2017; 2002; 1987; 1982; 1972). In 1993 he received the Golden Lion together with Nam June Paik for the design of the German Pavilion. Recent exhibitions of his work include at: Neuer Berliner Kunstverein (2020); New Museum, New York (2019); Haus der Kunst, Munich (2017); Museum moderner Kunst Stiftung Ludwig, Vienna (2017).