Museum Angewandte Kunst, Frankfurt

Not ODD at all!

Representation is at the heart of our democracy. But what does it look like? Who designs it? And how can its design be used to regain trust in democratic institutions?

The fictional Office for Design of Democracy (ODD) seeks answers to these fundamental questions, which are important for the future of our democracy. Commissioned by the highest state authority, it designs representative processes, artifacts, and relationships. The new agency's first exhibition presents four moments of representation that have been redesigned in collaboration with various designers. 

The ODD serves as a vehicle for exhibiting the results of the research project “Redesigning Democratic Representation” (Re De Re), funded by the Volkswagen Foundation. Initiated by design theorist Prof. Dr. Friedrich von Borries (University of Fine Arts Hamburg) and political scientist Prof. Dr. Sven T. Siefken (Federal University of Applied Administrative Sciences), the project combines ethnographic observations, citizen participation, and experimental design methods. The focus is on the triangular relationship between citizens, representatives, and the state. The fiction of the ODD and its first exhibition shows that democracy can be improved and further developed through design.

Behind the ODD are design theorist Friedrich von Borries (University of Fine Arts Hamburg) and political scientist Sven T. Siefken (Federal University of Applied Administrative Sciences), who combine ethnographic observations, participation and experimental design methods in the Volkswagen Foundation-funded research project Redesigning Democratic Representation (ReDe-Re).

The exhibition leaves open the question of whether the ODD is a new state institution or a fictional one, thus asking visitors how they want to get involved in the further development of representative democracy.

Participants:

Exhibitors: Moritz Bendl, Petra Esveld, Juan Guse, Pauli Muszi, Ingo Offermanns, Daniel Afriyie Owusu, Peter Post, Emma Rahe, Bezalel Academy of Art and Design Jerusalem, Academy of Fine Arts Warsaw, ODD, among others.

Curator: Prof. Dr Friedrich von Borries Curatorial & scientific

team: Prof. Dr Friedrich von Borries, Prof. Dr Sven T. Siefken, Juliane Baruck, Philipp Cartier

Exhibition design: Philipp Cartier

Exhibition graphics: Ingo Offermanns A project by: University of Fine Arts Hamburg, Federal University of Public Administration In collaboration with: Demokratie Innovation e.V., Deutscher Design Club e.V. Cooperation partner: World Design Capital Frankfurt RheinMain 2026

Supported by: Volkswagen Foundation