Manifesta 13 Director Hedwig Fijen on the Biennial's Social Turn and Marseille Legacy

In an interview with artpress, Hedwig Fijen, director of Manifesta, discusses the 13th edition of the European nomadic biennial in Marseille, originally scheduled until November 29, 2020. Fijen explains that Manifesta's societal focus has intensified since Palermo 2018, rooted in its interdisciplinary approach combining visual arts, performing arts, architecture, and science, as seen in previous editions like Manifesta 5 in San Sebastian and Manifesta 11 in Zurich. She addresses criticism of insufficient dialogue with the local Marseille art scene, citing the Tiers Programme, urban study Le Grand Puzzle by MVRDV and Winy Maas, and collaborations with local partners such as Triangle France, La Friche, and Provence Art Contemporain. Fijen acknowledges failures: lack of time to build long-term relationships with local institutions, absence of a main sponsor for the first time, and questions about the biennial's scale. Successes include being one of the few global biennials to open during the pandemic, positive press from The New York Times, El Pais, and Artforum, and the potential continuation of the Tiers QG and Assemblée du Futur. The city of Marseille is considering acquiring artworks for its collection. Interview conducted October 22, 2020.