Wednesday 10.6.2026 7.00 p.m. - 8.00 p.m.
In Christianity, the Fifth Commandment states: “You shall not kill.” This prohibition is also found in Judaism and Islam, although it takes a different form in each of these religions. In her performance, the artist refers to the current state of the world, which seems to be falling apart. Every day, people lose their lives due to terrorist attacks or military aggression. Regardless of whether these acts stem from interstate conflicts or terrorist groups, the increase in violence is clearly perceptible. Evidently, the Fifth Commandment — and with it the value of humanity — is losing significance, especially in a world populated by 8 billion people: killing has become a sport.
The artist does not use the exact wording of the commandment, but rather the paraphrase “Killing is forbidden” in order to emphasize the universal character of the commandments without privileging any specific religion.
The Earth, as “Gaia,” plays a central role in many mythologies. Everything comes from her, and everything returns to her as part of the cycle of life. In this way, the Earth gives life and receives it again in death. Earth (Gaia) thus symbolizes both life and death. However, the natural cycle of life is disrupted by the omnipresent violence of today’s world. The phrase “Killing is forbidden” loses its meaning and becomes an image of an unnatural, violence-driven loss of life.
Nezaket Ekici (*1970 in Kırşehir, Turkey) is a German performance artist. Her work is based on the conceptual development of ideas derived from everyday life, which are expressed through installations and performances. The cultural atmosphere in which art takes place — and from which it draws its energy — is explored just as much as abstract themes such as physicality, time, movement, and space. Through expansive, dynamic, and culturally charged artistic happenings in the sense of a “Gesamtkunstwerk” (total work of art), the artist continually seeks to establish interaction with the audience.
