James Webb's Roman Coin Installation at Biennale de Lyon

At the 16th Biennale de Lyon, South African artist James Webb presents 'A Series of Personal Questions Addressed to a Roman Coin' (2019), an audio installation featuring a silver denarius from 70 CE under Emperor Vespasian. Visitors enter a small container with black drapes to find a brightly lit plexiglass box containing the coin, while a soundtrack lists questions Webb addresses to the coin, such as 'What are your memories of the rock? Of the ore?' and 'How many times have you brought luck?' The work is part of the biennial's theme 'Manifesto of Fragility,' curated by Sam Bardaouil and Till Fellrath, which explores fragility across civilizations through 200 works by 88 international artists at a dozen sites, including the Fagor factories, Lugdunum museum, and Musée d'Art Contemporain. Webb's piece contrasts with larger installations, highlighting humanity's historical reliance on chance for decisions. The biennial, delayed a year due to COVID-19, runs until December 31, 2022.