"Primavera" Sculpture is Back - For the Time Being
The "Primavera" sculpture will be returned to its original place for the time being. The Executive Board of Europa-Universität Flensburg (EUF) has annulled the decision of February 2023 to remove the figure from the foyer of the Oslo building. "This decision was not formally correct," explains the EUF's Vice President for Teaching, Learning and Digitization, Prof. Dr. Jürgen Schwier, on behalf of the Executive Board. "The Präsidium was not responsible in this matter. The handling of the sculpture should have first been brought to the Senate by the Equality and Diversity Committee (GDA), which is a subcommittee of the Senate, and discussed there."
Discussion in the university Senate
This procedure will be followed at the upcoming Senate meeting on September 27, 2023, when the Senate will discuss how to proceed with the sculpture. The societal debate that has been sparked by the figure will likely be a topic there as well.
Until a final decision is made, the sculpture will return to its original location in the Oslo building. A QR code on its base links a website where the sequence of events is documented.
The removal of the sculpture had led to a media debate in the German-speaking world.
Equality cannot be achieved without conflict
Prof. Dr. Schwier thanked the Equality and Diversity Committee for drawing attention to an important issue through its initiative to remove the "Primavera." "It's a given that achieving equality comes with its own set of conflicts. How does the majority society deal with the concerns of minorities? How does it deal with the perspectives of people who have experienced discrimination? What are the implications for a university that takes equality and diversity seriously? And: How can we discuss the naturally diverse perspectives on this matter seriously and thoughtfully?" he outlines the questions arising from the debate about the garden sculpture.
Prof. Dr. Schwier commented that these topics had been - literally - cleared away too quickly. Now, time is needed for an internal and possibly an external debate.
