Critique and Celebration of Christine Macel's Viva Arte Viva at Venice Biennale

Christine Macel's curated international exhibition Viva Arte Viva at the Venice Biennale has sparked divided opinions, with some critics labeling it colonialist while others praise its utopian vision. The show, held at the Arsenale, features extensive textile work and art drawing from ritual, craft, and diverse global cultures, aiming to weave together human experiences across hierarchies. Key installations include Lee Mingwei's interactive The Mending Project (2009/2017), where visitors bring fabric items for repair, creating a tangible web of connections through thread. Marcos Ávila Forero's video Atrato (2014) documents Afro-Colombian water drumming traditions in Colombia's Amazon region, emphasizing communal rhythm. The exhibition opens with Juan Downey's film series The Circle of Fires (1979), parodying anthropological documentaries of Amazonian indigenous communities, and Rasheed Araeen's interactive Zero to Infinity for Venice, revisiting his 1968 work. European and U.S. artists are a minority in the show, which celebrates non-Western narratives and challenges dominant worldviews. The exhibition's lack of subtlety is noted, but its focus on pan-cultural making and human desires is highlighted as a deliberate repetition of motifs.