Curator Ekaterina Dyogot critiques Manifesta's 'sponsored hobbies' and Documenta's post-colonial narrative

In a 2003 discussion with Sven Spieker for ARTMargins Online, curator Ekaterina Dyogot from Moscow examined both Manifesta and Documenta. She characterized Manifesta's approach as featuring 'intimate narratives,' where artists engage personal interests backed by institutional funding, reminiscent of unofficial Soviet art from the 1960s to the 1980s, referencing figures like Kabakov and Komar&Melamid. The event showcased initiatives such as Sal Randolf's 'Free Manifesta,' which involved around 30,000 auction entries. Dyogot expressed concern that this type of art merely mimics social engagement without genuine interaction. Conversely, Documenta, under the curation of Okwe Enwezor, revived a significant narrative focused on post-colonialism, while noting Russian artists' hesitance to embrace universal roles, tied to a rejection of Soviet universalism, and acknowledging the interdisciplinary work of the Black Audio Film Collective.