Lyon Biennale 2007: A Collegial Experiment Falls Flat
The 9th Lyon Biennale, titled 'The History of a Decade That Has Not Yet Been Named,' took place in Lyon, France, from September 19, 2007, to January 6, 2008. Curated by Stéphanie Moisdon and Hans-Ulrich Obrist, the event showcased 68 'players' split into two groups: 48 international commissioners and another group focused on creating 'exhibition sequences.' Critic Richard Leydier described the exhibition as lacking excitement, highlighting only a few notable pieces, such as Urs Fischer's sculptures, Brian Jungen's golf bag totems, and Eric Beltràn's thought-provoking installation. He criticized Éric Troncy's choice of David Hamilton's photographs for favoring popularity over quality and noted that the collaborative format resulted in a uniformity that contrasted with the more dynamic 1997 biennale curated by Harald Szeemann.
Key facts
- 9th Lyon Biennale ran from September 19, 2007, to January 6, 2008.
- Curated by Stéphanie Moisdon and Hans-Ulrich Obrist.
- Titled 'The History of a Decade That Has Not Yet Been Named.'
- 68 'players' included 48 international commissioners and a second group of artists, writers, philosophers, graphic designers, and choreographers.
- Urs Fischer was selected by Massimiliano Gioni.
- Brian Jungen was invited by Trevor Smith.
- Eric Beltràn was selected by Gilbert Vicario.
- Éric Troncy selected David Hamilton's photographs.
- Richard Leydier wrote the review for artpress.
- Harald Szeemann curated the 4th Lyon Biennale in 1997.
Entities
Artists
- Urs Fischer
- Brian Jungen
- Eric Beltràn
- David Hamilton
- Helmut Newton
- Salvador Dalí
- Niki de Saint Phalle
- Robert Combas
- Louis Toffoli
- Fernando Botero
- Bernard Buffet
Institutions
- Lyon Biennale
- artpress
- Sucrière
Locations
- Lyon
- France
Sources
- artpress —