The Weaving Contest between Arachne and Athena, or: Between the Poles of Individuality and Collectivity, Power and Powerlessness

Greek mythology tells a story about a young weaver named Arachne. She, a mortal, had the audacity to challenge Athena, goddess of wisdom, war, and weaving, to a weaving contest. After both had finished their elaborate weavings and compared them, it was primarily the provocative scenes Arachne had woven that deeply offended the goddess. In her rage, she transformed the young woman into a spider.

When woven together, threads lose their essence as separate threads; or, to put it symbolically in relation to people and society, they lose their individuality and become part of a collective. Like the threads in woven fabric, people are also interwoven with each other, with nature, or within social and communal systems. Based on different characteristics and conditions, people take on a variety of functions in such a collective, and different power relationships are established. The first thematic section of the exhibition is thus entitled “Between the Poles of Individuality and Collectivity, Power and Powerlessness.”