Ahmet Ögüt. Bakunin’s Barricade (2015-2022) in the Stedelijke Museum Amsterdam 21 Mar 2025
18:00 - 20:00
Bakunin’s Barricade: Answered
On 21 March 2025 at Framer Framed, artist Ahmet Öğüt addresses, for the first time, the situation surrounding his work Bakunin’s Barricade. Drawing on personal reflections and previous statements, Öğüt delves into the conceptual foundations, artistic strategies and real-world implications of the work. He discusses the multifaceted responses to the piece, exploring its ethical, political, and institutional dimensions.
On 28 May 2024, a group of cultural workers and activists submitted a collective request to Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam to loan Bakunin’s Barricade, an artwork by Ahmet Öğüt based on a concept by artist Mikhail Bakunin, to protect students in Palestinian solidarity protests from escalating police violence in the Netherlands. After initial conversations with the group, the museum denied the request.
In response, Öğüt stated that his work must be understood on its own terms, independent of museum collections or external factors. He emphasised that he had made clear his commitment to loan Bakunin’s Barricade in the event of protests. The artist pointed out that the refusal to loan the piece contradicted the terms of this contract with the museum.
In October 2024, Öğüt published a statement demanding the museum remove Bakunin’s Barricade from the collection display. Bakunin’s Barricade: Answered is an opportunity to hear from the artist and to discuss the responsibility of cultural institutions and the work’s role in societal struggles. What does it mean to move beyond symbolic gestures? How does the barricade function as both an artwork and a practical tool?
This event is in English. Admission is free.
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This event may be photographed and filmed. Kindly let us know in advance if you prefer not to have your picture taken.
Framer Framed is supported by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science; Amsterdam Fund for the Arts; Municipality of Amsterdam; and VriendenLoterij Fonds.
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- Volkskrant - Ahmet Ögüt eist dat zijn kunstwerk uit het Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam wordt verwijderd
- Personal website of Ahmet Öğüt ︎
- Stedelijk Museum - Amsterdam
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Art and Activism / Art in Public Space / Museology / Palestine /
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