Documenta

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A large exhibition that focuses on contemporary art, showcasing various works from numerous artists worldwide
2. An international art show held in Kassel, Germany, featuring innovative installations and modern artistic expressions
3. A cultural event presenting a diverse range of artistic practices, highlighting trends and developments in the global art scene

Etymology: Documenta is a proper noun, the name of an exhibition held every five years in Kassel, Germany, and its Latin name is the key to its story. The first Documenta opened in 1955, and its organisers chose the Latin word "documenta", the plural of "documentum", meaning evidence or proof, to suggest that the show would present a record of the art of the age. Founder Arnold Bode's aim was to document what had been suppressed or lost under the Nazi regime, which had condemned modern art as degenerate. The name's sense of evidence explains the show's purpose better than its modern reputation as a showcase for avant-garde work does. The Latin "documentum" comes from "docere", to teach, which is also the root of "doctrine" and "document" in English. Documenta was meant to teach visitors about contemporary art, and the Latin name signalled a serious, archival intention from the start.