Ljubljana Biennale 2023 Curated by Ibrahim Mahama Explores Post-Colonial Solidarity

The 35th Ljubljana Biennale of Graphic Arts, titled 'From the void came gifts of cosmos', is curated by artist Ibrahim Mahama and runs in tandem with Riga's Survival Kit festival. The Biennale examines the legacy of cooperation between Eastern Europe, the Non-Aligned Movement, Asia, and Africa, focusing on how Afro-Asian independence movements fostered cultural and infrastructural progress without colonial baggage. The main exhibition at Cukrarna, a former sugar factory, features installation-based graphic works, video, and audio pieces. Highlights include Ala Younis's 'High Dam' on the Aswan Dam's socio-environmental impact, and Yasmina Benabderrahmane's 'La Bête' critiquing Zaha Hadid's cultural center in the Bou Regreg valley. A section on popular resistance features Jihan El Tahri's 'Threading Solidarity' on Pan-Arabism and Non-Aligned movements, and Nabil Djedouani's 'There is no end' dedicated to anti-colonial fighters Mohamed Boudia and Nicolaus Husseini. The archival show 'Friendships and affinities' at Tivoli Grad traces the Biennale's early openness to African and Asian art since 1955. Satellite exhibitions at Krater, a green space threatened by development, host creative workshops led by Danilo Milovanović, highlighting the Biennale's commitment to environmental and social issues.