As Germany’s documenta contemporary art show comes to an end on Sunday, the International Auschwitz Committee has slammed the exhibition for its handling of allegations of anti-Semitism in the curation of this year’s show.

“At the end of the documenta fifteen, the stubborn insistence of many of those responsible and the retreat behind the walls of their own arrogance has become the sad reality of this art festival,” the committee’s executive vice president Christoph Heubner said, according to a statement.

“Documenta is facing a pile of broken pieces, but a new world can be built even from shambles,” he said.

The art show in the German city of Kassel, which alongside the Venice Biennale is the most important exhibition for contemporary art in the world, has been overshadowed by accusations that the show includes art with clear anti- Semitic symbols and motifs.

Since the exhibition opened in June, several works slammed as anti-Semitic have caused controversy.

“The fact that this anti-Semitic connotation was possible in Germany and at documenta fifteen for over 100 days despite growing criticism and offers of discussion will remain the lasting stigma of this project, which marks a turning point in Germany and exposes many political statements as lip service,” Heubner said.

He added that the German society would have to enter into a conversation about this turning point and the debates that have erupted from documenta to reassess the realities of anti-Semitism and hatred of Israel in an international context. © dpa