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In an Orwellian style, algorithms, artificial intelligence and state surveillance form the foundations of the authoritarian farris wheel. If you follow the optic cables long enough, they lead straight to the top of executive power – the White House resolute desk. Behind the desk the Chinese president is counting foreign currency, knowing too well he holds a pair of aces. All in? 

Above the foundation, the world order is re-ordering. Environmental concerns are a cosmetic correction to the accumulation of wealth and power. Merz, the new German chancellor, is proposing to the duchess of Europe, Giorgia Meloni, over the Euro. Meanwhile, the leader of the far right AfD is burning the German flag. Below her, a sobbing Nietzsche is passing his writings to her in disbelief, asking himself “not again?!” Across from Freddy, Richard Wagner is providing the musical background to the unfolding chaos. His grand concert might be disrupted by Elon Musk, who is barely hanging on to the American star. Cutting himself off in the name of government efficiency? Dark MAGA… 

The five stars at the top represent the protagonists of the authoritarian turn, whilethe five stars at the bottom portray their victims: expression, belief, thought/reason, criticism and solidarity. Picasso is painting the two state solution in exile, the liberal Pope is dead on the cross, the Serbian student is announcing the blockade of critique and Donald Tusk is forced to focus on defense, rather than on welfare. In the style of Hieronymus Bosch, the Owl, a symbol of thought/knowledge/reason, is placed at the lowest point in the authoritarian value chain. Looking directly at the viewer asking: how have we come this far? 

If you look up, just like in the sistine chapel, you observe creation. Similar to the original one, this one also creates a problem. It used to be the Jewish problem, the Black problem, the Muslim problem. Now its is a migration problem. For simplicity purposes, we just bundle them together and admit we have a problem with the Other: whoever is not us. Be sure of one thing, the problem is not objective. Authoritarians create these problems to scapegoat their own failures. This problem is not to be solved, but to be exploited. 

To the bottom right, you see the golf hole: Putin´s pit. In it, like crawling reptiles, his European friends – Vučić, Dodik, Fico and Orban. The bloodstained flag of Ukraine replaces the white flag over the hole. Vladimir is pulling them further and further into his reign of control, making the hole larger and easier to aim for. A rocket with an inscription “peace tax” is flying towards it. Boom?

The anti-systemic driver firing the rocket is Donald Trump, while in the golf cart behind him, Netanyahu is holding on to the projectiles. 

One ticket for authoritarianism?