Once there was, and once there wasn't. In the beginning, everything seems innocent, enchanting even. A fairy tale from 1001 Nights: the fragrance of musk and the authority of sultans. Bazaars where magic lamps and flying carpets can still be bought. In the harem, women sit in paradisiacal surroundings.
These words will probably suffice to stimulate the imagination of most people about the "Orient." In addition to these romantic descriptions, many stories often also depict the danger posed by Muslim people. Are these the roots of a language that suspects all Muslims under the suspicion of being "sexually abusive knife-wielding migrants"? The exhibition traces the historical models and current effects of anti-Muslim racism.
How could such discrepancies between romantic idealization and the idea of extreme brutality arise and how do people with Muslim roots and the so-called majority society deal with them today? The exhibition aims to answer these questions in a variety of ways and provide visitors with answers as well as further questions. To this end, the museum creates a space for dialogue. "Re:Orient - The Invention of the Muslim Other" aims to reorient visitors towards what is all too often left unseen when they look at "the others."
In cooperation with the Verband binationaler Familien und Partnerschaften, iaf e.V.-GS Leipzig ("Association of Binational Families and Partnerships"), the museum has not only provided facilities enabling anti-racist curators to practice their work. The texts are developed from perspectives rarely found in museums or, at best, appear as an accessory or critical voice next to "scientific" or "explanatory" texts. Artistic works, curatorial works, and texts strive together for a dialogue that invites further reflection.
