Eternal Strangers

Born out of a historic legend, the story of the Wandering Jew – cursed to roam the earth eternally – has become a contested site of survival and reinvention across diverse temporal, political, and geographical contexts. Evolving over the centuries, this enduring myth invites reflections on questions around movement, memory and agency.  

What does it mean to be a stranger at the edges of society? Why does this legend resonate so widely? Can such a curse be reclaimed?  

This exhibition proposes the Eternal Stranger as a symbol of ambivalence, resilience and diasporic richness. In new and existing artworks, the traditional trope is reimagined through tapestry, botanic installation, moving image, wearable art, photography, and sound.  

Curated by Anoushka Alexander-Rose and Elisabeth Becker-Topkara, as part of the VolkswagenStiftung funded project ‘Invisible Architects: Jews, Muslims and the Construction of Europe’ at Heidelberg University.

Opening event 11 February

Image: Michal Fuchs, Der Wanderer, 2019-20 Holzpodeste, Glasbecken, Wasser, Pflanzen (Wurzeln des wandernden Juden) / Vier Stelen, je 200 x 60 x 30cm