Mariengymnasium school exhibits works of art on the theme of Europe

Pupils at Mariengymnasium have been exploring the theme of Europe through art. The resulting artworks have been on display in the media centre since 9 May to mark Europe Day. Delegations from Bocholt's twin towns and interested citizens were also present at the opening of the exhibition.

The motto of the art exhibition is "Apollonian - Dionysian. Discover the diversity of Europe in unity!" The idea for this was born in art teacher Daglef Seeger's lessons. But what exactly does Apollonian - Dionysian mean?

We often use opposing adjectives such as "bright and dark" or "good and evil" to describe things in a judgemental way. In 1872, the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche caused a sensation with the publication of his book "The Birth of Tragedy from the Spirit of Music", which presented a new view of European culture. In it, Nietzsche developed a new pair of adjectival opposites based on the Greek gods Apollo and Dionysus.

Apollonian stands for form, structure, reason, planning and discipline. The term Dionysian, on the other hand, embodies chaos, fantasy, emotion, spontaneity and the unconscious. Nietzsche stated that the interaction of these two opposing forces gives rise to something significant. This tension between Apollo and Dionysus is evident in the artworks exhibited by the Mariengymnasium courses.

Focus on Europe
The pair of terms was analysed by pupils in Years 10, EF and Q2 with regard to the culture and history of Europe. They say that these two extremes make it easier to categorise the character of art, architecture, fashion, music and people. They hope that all those interested will enjoy viewing the artworks. The exhibition can be visited at the Media Centre, Hindenburgstraße 1, until 22 May.

Funding
The exhibition is supported by the state initiative Europa-Schecks of the Minister for Federal and European Affairs, International Affairs and Media of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia and the Head of the State Chancellery. EUROPE DIRECT Bocholt provided support with the application process.