A Teenager Reviews the Venice Biennale: Speed, Screens, and Superficiality

In a review written by teenager Marlene L. Müller for Artribune, the 58th Venice Biennale, titled "May You Live in Interesting Times," is examined through the lens of a young person's experience with time and digital culture. Müller notes the prevalence of multimedia installations, paradoxically requiring more time to engage despite our screen habits. She highlights Laure Prouvost's "Deep See Blue Surrounding You," which blends performance, video, and sculpture to blur reality and imagination. Kahlil Joseph's "BLKNWS" presents non-stop footage from YouTube, Instagram, and Vine, compressing content without context, reflecting both the danger of superficial communication and the allure of false certainties. Sun Yuan & Peng Yu's "Can't Help Myself" features a large industrial robot trapped in a glass case, endlessly trying to contain red liquid—a metaphor for the futility of erasing indelible bloodstains. Müller argues that art, as per Beuys, is a social experience fostering dialogue, and that the Biennale offers a space for reflection and growth, especially for younger generations.