Jochen GERZ, Fundamental Rights Square (2005). Karlsruhe (Germany)

© jochen gerz

The City of Karlsruhe is known as the “Capital of Justice” in Germany. The city host the German supreme courts .
The project of Jochen Gerz was created with the participation of prominent jurists, politicians, philosophers and citizens of Karlsruhe. He wanted to encourage people to tackle a complex question: What do law and justice mean to the individual conscience, what do they mean for democracy?
Gerz has extracted from his interviews 48 statements on law and justice. He contrasts the 24 statements made by the jurists, scientists and legal experts with the same number of quotes by people who have clashed with the law or who have been profoundly affected by it. By printing these statements on enamelled panels (one on the front, one on the back of each panel), Gerz creates a direct debate between different, often contradicting positions.