Anachoresis

The term ‘anachoresis’ is derived from the Greek verb ‘anachorein’ (‘to withdraw’). The practice of retreat has a long tradition in art and cultural history: from the historical social ‘retreat’ of East Asian artist-scholars into a state of contemplation to the staging of self-isolation in modern and contemporary artworks by Joseph Beuys or Tehching Hsieh. Often, this process is associated with a surge of creativity and self-reflection. But what happens when the retreat is carried out collectively? What kind of interaction takes place when a group temporarily withdraws from society in order to create a space for communication and interaction? The artist persona REICHRICHTER explored these and other questions in their three-year transcultural project anachoresis – participation through fragments.

From 2020-2023, artists from Germany and Taiwan were brought together in the form of a collective laboratory. These gatherings were not only shaped by the practice of the individual artists, but also reflected the broader transcultural dialogue between Germany and Taiwan. This book continues the dialogue-based approach of the project and through a series of theoretical essays discusses the role that participatory art can play in today’s world.

Text in English, German and Chinese.