Title: Believe
Year: 2021
Size: 36 x 47,9 cm
Technique: Watercolor with gold

In 2019, the coronavirus abruptly changed all of our lives. Nevertheless, there was denial of scientific facts, targeted dissemination of fake news, attacks on science, and even at-tempts by corona deniers and fascist parties to storm the Reichstag.
In the following poem “Believe” - which also gives the artwork its title - the artist Eva Graudenz tries to process this pandemic agitation and violence in relation to her freedom and her experience and deepens her meaning of believe during this time in her water-color (and her words).

Poem “Believe”

When life changed, overnight,
we wanted everything to stay that way.
It was uncomfortable changing the rhythm in the dark
but we did it anyway.
Only the lazy refused.
They preferred to believe in something else together.

Too quick mouths, with too loud words,
accused, reasoned sacrificial lambs instead of facts;
beat so long rush,
until a demonic beast entered their eyes.
They huddled together in a crowd
and thought they finally had power.
Since they all sang only the one song of the bait,
everyone finally felt strong.

But actually they only swallowed crumbs of instant lies,
like the carp the bread on a string.
In truth they were just puppets
were zombies with no hope
just fodder for a narcissistic animal.

I didn't need any bait during this time.
I'm neither stupid, blind, deaf nor dumb,
yet full of compassion.
My luggage also got heavier and heavier during the pandemic
and I had to change many things in everyday life,
however, always held fast to my dreams.

My inner faith helped me carry everything on.
Out of the darkness of domination structures,
from my own blackness.
I had to understand freedom
as courage and decision to me.