When can the exhibition be visited?

The exhibition is open on September 27, 2026, from 11 AM to 7 PM.

Where does Images for Democracy take place?

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

What is the cost of admission?

Admission to the exhibition is free.

What works can be seen?

Motifs from graphic novels by numerous international artists will be displayed, as well as the student projects Faces of Democracy – the Freising Puzzle of Diversity and The Open Gate – Path to Freedom.

Are there offers for schools or tours?

The exhibition includes a project developed by students. Further information about tours or additional educational programs has not been published.

Is the exhibition accessible?

There are no confirmed details regarding the accessibility of the Old Prison available in the event information.

Images for Democracy: Graphic Novels Open New Perspectives on Freedom and Solidarity

Name: Images for Democracy – Graphic Novels, Collages, Installation
Start: 2026-09-27T11:00:00+02:00
End: 2026-09-27T19:00:00+02:00
Location: Altes Gefängnis

Images for Democracy: Graphic Novels as a Visual Call for Humanity

The exhibition Images for Democracy connects compelling graphic novel motifs with a large-scale collage and an interactive installation created by students. In the historic setting of the Old Prison Freising, a concentrated art experience emerges around freedom, responsibility, human dignity, and the democratic society.

Image Stories Between Memory and Present

The works displayed by 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 bring the aesthetic experience of comics into a socio-political space. Sequential images, expressive lines, reduced color dramaturgy, and precisely set image sequences make historical and contemporary experiences visible.

The graphic novel proves to be an independent art form between literature, illustration, and visual arts. Its combination of text, space, rhythm, and montage allows for an immediate engagement with the work: the audience not only reads but also mentally navigates through images of flight, exclusion, loss, civil courage, and hope.

The Freising Puzzle of Diversity

A special focus is on the large collage Faces of Democracy – the Freising Puzzle of Diversity. Students from Oskar-Maria-Graf-Gymnasium Neufahrn developed the project under the guidance of Daria Lepkova. Many individual perspectives come together to form a harmonious overall picture – a vivid symbol for democratic participation and societal cohesion.

The Open Gate to Freedom

The installation The Open Gate – Path to Freedom translates democratic values into a spatial experience. The motif of the gate stands for access, choice, and responsibility. In the exhibition atmosphere of the Old Prison, this symbolism gains additional tension: historical spaces meet an artistic vision of openness, solidarity, and the future.

Art as Cultural Education

The exhibition does not see art as a mere illustration of political themes. It invites engagement and shows how aesthetic experience deepens cultural education. The works make it visible that democracy is not only constituted by institutions but is also sustained by attention, empathy, and collective action.

Conclusion: An Exhibition that Changes Perspectives

Images for Democracy connects international graphic novels with local student works, creating an urgent dialogue between art, memory, and contemporary society. Visitors can expect a visually strong, thought-provoking, and simultaneously encouraging exhibition. Those who wish to understand democracy as a living cultural task and experience art in a historical setting should definitely experience this artistic endeavor live at the Old Prison Freising.