Bereitschaft

Bereitschaft is a photography series and video installation about the popularisation of a fascist statue on TikTok. It shows how mainstream fitness aesthetics are co-opted by the far right to amplify their influence.

The German term “Bereitschaft” encompasses readiness and willingness to take action, yet it also harbors darker undertones. In 1939, German sculptor Arno Breker (1900-1991) crafted a statue titled with this word, portraying a male, nude warrior drawing a sword, symbolizing preparedness for the impending call to arms faced by the German people. This sculpture has become an obsession on TikTok. Through their work, the artists delve into the glorification of the ‘sculpted’ male physique and the advocacy of self-discipline within TikTok fitness trends, examining how these inclinations mirror fascist tendencies and serve as symptoms of a right-wing ideological shift. Terms like ‘brohood’, ‘gymbros’, and ‘bromance’ evoke a sense of unity, wherein the individual becomes subordinate. Influencers promote order and disci- pline, urging followers to disregard the inner “bitch voice” which purportedly leads to weakness. The trend not only defends masculinity with misogynistic characteristics but also manifests increasingly peculiar manifestations, including ‘bonesmashing’, ‘chiselled jawline’, ‘mewing’, ‘looksmaxxing’, facial fitness, and ‘hunter eyes’, advocating an unsettling and extreme pursuit of physical perfection. (Mirjam Kooiman, Chief curator at Foam Amsterdam)