As we embark on the thematic exploration of "Godxes" in the current year, the emphasis is on novel art production. The gods, once a singular family residing on a mountain, have transformed into a diverse multitude in an endless metropolis. Their stories persist, yet the cult and ritual practices have waned, relegated to narratives and scattered idols. This contemporary twist on divine narratives sets the stage for a nuanced exploration of how these stories continue to shape artistic expressions in our ever-evolving cultural landscape.The choice of "Godxes" as the thematic focus for Kulturfolger's 2024-25 program is a deliberate exploration into the intersection of mythological narratives and contemporary artistic expression.
Even in our days of technology and globalization, it may be that the world we live in is too complex a place to explain with just one god. We need Athena, Eros, Apollo, Dionysus, Narcissus, and the rest of their tribe to make sense of things. For artists, there is also an additional motive. The big headache for over a hundred years has been how to find a larger setting for one’s personal experience. Without some sort of common belief, theology, mythology—or what have you—how was one supposed to figure out what it all means? The only option remaining, or so it seemed, was for each one of us to start from scratch and construct our own cosmology.