When does the exhibition Images for Democracy take place?

The exhibition can be seen from September 18 to October 4, 2026, in the Old Prison Freising.

When can the exhibition be visited on September 26?

On Saturday, September 26, 2026, the exhibition is open from 11 AM.

What is the admission fee?

Admission to the exhibition is free.

Where does the exhibition take place?

The exhibition takes place in the Old Prison at Brennergasse 1, 85354 Freising.

What content does the exhibition show?

Displayed are visual motifs from graphic novels as well as student projects Faces of Democracy – the Freising Puzzle of Diversity and The Open Gate – Path to Freedom.

Are visits by appointment possible?

Yes, visits by appointment are possible.

Graphic Novels and Student Art Show Why Democracy Remains Our Shared Responsibility

Name: Images for Democracy – Graphic Novels, Collages, Installation
Start: 2026-09-26T11:00:00+02:00
End: 2026-10-04T19:00:00+02:00
Location: Altes Gefängnis

Images for Democracy: Graphic Novels, Collages and Installation in the Old Prison

In the historic Old Prison Freising, the exhibition Images for Democracy connects compelling visual narratives with contemporary cultural education. Graphic novels, collages, and a spatial installation address questions of responsibility, human dignity, freedom, and social cohesion.

Graphic Novels as Visual Remembrance

Touching motifs from prominent graphic novels make visible the failure of state responsibility and the breakdown of humanity. The exhibition brings together works and visual worlds from Chen Jianghong, Claude K. Dubois, Lukas Jüliger, Roberto Grossi, Christina Laube, Mehrdad Zaeri, Ulli Lust, Patrick Oberhofer, R. J. Palacio, Bianca Schaalburg, Roya Soraya, Barbara Yelin, Art Spiegelman, Marjane Satrapi, Joe Sacco, Shaun Tan, and Birgit Weyhe.

In the combination of sequential art, illustration, and literary storytelling, a focused examination of the artwork emerges. Panel, line, color, and image rhythm become artistic means that make historical experiences and current democratic challenges directly perceptible.

Students' Perspectives on Democracy

A particular strength of the exhibition lies in the two integrated projects by students from Oskar-Maria-Graf-Gymnasium Neufahrn under the direction of Daria Lepkova. The large collage Faces of Democracy – the Freising Puzzle of Diversity relies on the power of many individual voices that only together form a common picture.

The installation The Open Gate – Path to Freedom translates democratic values into a spatial experience. Collage and installation thus provide direct access to cultural education and show how artistic practice makes social participation visible.

Aesthetic Experience in a Historic Exhibition Location

The Old Prison Freising enhances the impact of the exhibition through its historical spatial effect. Amid protected walls, former cells, and present exhibition spaces, past and present meet. The exhibition atmosphere creates a tension-filled resonance space for the displayed visual narratives and invites a conscious, personal examination of the works.

Colors, shapes, graphic structures, and different materials engage in a dialogue with the location. This creates an art experience that does not remain at mere observation but stimulates reflection on freedom, diversity, and the responsibility of each individual.

Cultural Education and Democratic Future

The exhibition understands the preservation and strengthening of democracy as a continuous task. Its curatorial connection between professional graphic novels and school projects makes clear that democratic culture thrives on memory, empathy, and collective action.

As a contribution from the cultural association Modern Studio Freising to the Long Night of Democracy, Images for Democracy opens the view to a positive future. The exhibition runs from September 18 to October 4, 2026, and is open on Fridays from 3 PM to 7 PM and on Saturdays and Sundays. On Friday, October 2, extended opening hours apply from 11 AM to 7 PM. Visits by appointment are possible.

Conclusion: A Plea for Humanity

Visitors can expect an engaged exhibition in which graphic novel, collage, and installation merge into a compelling plea for freedom, diversity, and humanity. Anyone who wants to experience art as an aesthetic experience and societal thought space should definitely visit this special art experience live at the Old Prison Freising.