The exhibition Why aren’t you ashamed? brings together twelve artists with the aim to explore the social emotion of shame on different levels. Different media are used to explore the topic interdisciplinary, spanning from text, sculpture, and photography to video, sound, and immersive installations. The exhibition is accompanied by a sociological introduction to the emotion and its different varieties such as bodily shame, queer shame, and the role of shame during youth and growing up.

The title Why aren’t you ashamed? can be understood in a twofold sense. While it morally challenges the so-called «normal», demanding the emotion to be felt as an instance of societal regulation, it can also be read as the admiration of courageous actions of individuals. Why aren’t you ashamed? shifts into the question: «How can you be so courageous?» with a merely positive connotation.

When did you feel shame the last time? When did you feel it for the first time? And: Why aren’t you ashamed?

More information about the exhibition: till-leander.com/shame

Photos: (c) Till Leander Schröder / TLS