Critique of 12th Lyon Biennale Highlights Curatorial Disarray and Artistic Clashes

Curated by Gunnar B. Kvaran, the 12th Biennale de Lyon, named 'Meanwhile... Suddenly and Then,' sought to investigate narrative techniques within contemporary art. Taking place at La Sucrière and the Musée d'Art Contemporain in Lyon, it received criticism for its disjointed storytelling. Notably, Czech artist Václav Magid's film installation 'From the Aesthetic Education Secret Files (2013)' was awkwardly positioned following Ryan Trecartin's films. The ground floor showcased digital art, featuring Petra Cortright's videos and Dan Colen's sculptures. Ed Fornieles's 'Despicable Me 2 (2013)' bore similarities to Bjarne Melgaard's 'Untitled (2013),' both filled with pop culture references. Laida Lertxundi's 'The Room Called Heaven (2012)' and Ed Atkins's 'Even Pricks (2013)' provided some relief. The biennale was characterized as both introspective and chaotic. Reviews were published in the November and December 2013 editions of ArtReview Asia and ArtReview.