BIENNALS:Manifesta 11
Manifesta, The European Biennial of Contemporary Art, was born as a nomadic contemporary art event, and has developed into a flexible and mobile structure, capable of continuously changing and reinventing itself. Manifesta purposely strives to keep its distance from what are often seen as the dominant centres of artistic production, instead seeking fresh and fertile terrain for the mapping of a new cultural topography.
By Efi Michalarou
Photo: Manifesta 11 Archive
Today, Zurich is one of the most economically and technologically advanced cities in the world. This rich and rapidly evolving urban setting will give Manifesta 11 the opportunity to explore critical global issues relating to the processes of urbanization, urban space and society while reassessing the role art can play within these concepts. The 2016 edition of Manifesta is held in Zurich, for the first time in the history of Manifesta, an artist, Christian Jankowski, has appointed as Curator. Bringing together artists under the title of “What People Do For Money: Some Joint Ventures”, the curatorial concept is based on three principles which are also central to his artistic investigations: collaborations, the inclusion of audience groups from outside the usual circles of art-loving public and the reflection of mass-media formats. The theme aims to explore the significance of one’s profession in defining one’s identity in contemporary culture through 35 productions, which are shown at various locations across the city for the duration of the Biennial. The Historical Exhibition: “Sites Under Construction” gathers artworks and non-artspecific materials from the past fifty years into different groupings. The show, cocurated by Francesca Gavin, is divided into eleven chambers. These are inspired by the intersections between private and public, the personal and the professional, and examine how and why artists portray the working process and relations that they face and engage in. Cabaret Voltaire is undergoing a radical architectural change to become a guildhall for artists. On the facade, a new plastic bay window signals the transformation of the historical building, from which Dadaism emerged 100 years ago. The building’s interior, in keeping with the theme of the biennial, is turned into a working world along the lines of an office building. Those who want to join must put on a joint-venture performance. Thus, Cabaret der Künstler – Zunfthaus Voltaire will be the site of Manifesta 11‘s performance programme. To become members, artists must undertake a performance with a non-artist.
Info: Curator: Christian Jankowski, Manifesta 11, Various Locations, Zurich, Duration: 11/6-18/9/16, http://m11.manifesta.org
