"Forbiddistan" is a coinage by Sebastian Bieniek—who regards this invented word as a work of art—and he resides in what was once the capital of Germany and is now the capital of Forbiddistan: Berlin.
The artist, who considers only political art to be true art, believes that artists must be political; they must engage—and have always engaged—with the world around them, rather than living in an aquarium sealed off from the outside world.
Even cave painters from 20,000 years ago painted what they saw outside on their walls. For Bieniek, an artist ceases to be an artist if they look away from what is happening right on their doorstep; in doing so, they fail to fulfill their calling and become merely a victim of their own hubris, arrogance, and—not infrequently—stupidity.
Although the word "Forbiddistan" did not exist prior to July 9, 2026, everyone can visualize what it implies…
More: bieniek.at
