Lorenzo Giusti on documenta 15: A Necessary Experiment in Collective Creativity
Lorenzo Giusti, the director of GAMeC Bergamo, advocates for documenta 15, curated by ruangrupa, viewing it as a vital experiment amid the surrounding controversies. He points out the absence of explicit ideology, labeling the exhibition as both political and 'artivist' without direct affiliations. Giusti stresses the concept of a dynamic, interconnected 'creative body', drawing on Donna Haraway's notion of 'sympoiesis'. He acknowledges the urgent climate crisis and the necessity for profound community change, contrasting documenta 15 with Cecilia Alemani's Venice Biennale, asserting that documenta reflects an 'existing present'. He also addresses the contentious Taring Padi banner linked to antisemitism and questions whether collaboration can protect participants from outside conflicts, noting various collectives and artists, with the results of documenta 15 expected to emerge after the exhibition concludes.
Key facts
- documenta 15 is curated by the Indonesian collective ruangrupa.
- Lorenzo Giusti is director of GAMeC Bergamo and former director of MAN Nuoro.
- The exhibition is described as political and 'artivist' but without overt ideology.
- A banner by Taring Padi was accused of antisemitism and later obscured.
- Giusti contrasts documenta 15 with Cecilia Alemani's Venice Biennale 'The Milk of Dreams'.
- Donna Haraway's concept of 'sympoiesis' is referenced.
- Collectives include Britto Arts Trust, Gudskul, INLAND, Keleketla! Library, Más Arte Más Acción, OFF-Biennale Budapest, Atis Rezistans, Black Quantum Futurism, The Nest Collective, Wakaliga Uganda.
- Individual artists mentioned: Małgorzata Mirga-Tas, Omara, Selma Selman, Amol K Patil, Jumana Emil Abboud, Nino Bulling, Dan Perjovschi.
- documenta 15 runs for three months in Kassel, Germany.
- Giusti argues that collaboration may not shield participants from external conflict.
Entities
Artists
- Lorenzo Giusti
- Donna Haraway
- Cecilia Alemani
- Małgorzata Mirga-Tas
- Omara
- Selma Selman
- Amol K Patil
- Jumana Emil Abboud
- Nino Bulling
- Dan Perjovschi
Institutions
- GAMeC Bergamo
- MAN Nuoro
- ruangrupa
- Britto Arts Trust
- Gudskul
- INLAND
- Keleketla! Library
- Más Arte Más Acción
- OFF-Biennale Budapest
- Atis Rezistans | Ghetto Biennale
- Black Quantum Futurism
- The Nest Collective
- Wakaliga Uganda
- Taring Padi
- documenta
- Venice Biennale
- Artribune
Locations
- Kassel
- Germany
- Bergamo
- Italy
- Nuoro
- Venice
- Friedrichsplatz