6th Berlin Biennale Opens June 11, 2010, Curated by Kathrin Rhomberg

The 6th Berlin Biennale runs from June 11 to August 8, 2010, across venues including Kunst-Werke and Alte Nationalgalerie. Curated by Kathrin Rhomberg, the exhibition focuses on art's relationship with reality, responding to post-Cold War shifts, economic crisis, and 9/11. Rhomberg, former director of Cologne Kunstverein and co-curator of Manifesta 3, brings expertise in Eastern European art. The biennale expands beyond Kunst-Werke into Kreuzberg, notably an old factory, reflecting urban change and gentrification. Over half the works are site-specific commissions from artists like Phil Collins, Petrit Halilaj, Roman Ondák, and Marie Voignier. A notable inclusion is an Adolph Menzel exhibition at Alte Nationalgalerie. The biennale aims to exceed 100,000 visitors, competing with Art Basel. Founded by Klaus Biesenbach in 1998, the Berlin Biennale has evolved from a local portrait to a globalized event, with past editions by Saskia Bos (2001), Ute Meta Bauer (2004), and Massimiliano Gioni, Maurizio Cattelan, and Ali Subotnik (2006). The 2008 edition by Adam Szymczyk and Elena Filipovic is considered forgettable. Rhomberg emphasizes Berlin's unique geopolitical position, blending Eastern and Western memories, comparable to 1980s New York.