Moscow's First Biennial Sparks Controversy Over State Control and Curatorial Dismissals
The first Moscow Biennial of Contemporary Art is set to launch on January 28, 2005, under the auspices of the Russian State and the Federal Agency for Culture and Film, as Moscow seeks to establish itself as a cultural center. Last summer, co-curator Viktor Misiano was unexpectedly ousted by Joseph Backstein, which caught the attention of Russian media. The event's theme, 'Dialectics of Hope,' draws inspiration from Marxist intellectual Boris Kagarlitsky. Six international curators will manage the primary exhibition, showcasing approximately 45 artists, including Jeremy Deller and Bill Viola. The main exhibition will take place at the Lenin Museum near Red Square, while parallel projects will emphasize Russian artists. Discussions will address the government's use of contemporary art to shape national identity, contrasting with the support for realist painters during Yeltsin's era. The biennial aims to establish Moscow as a key Eurasian cultural hub.
Key facts
- The first Moscow Biennial opens on January 28, 2005.
- The Russian State, via the Federal Agency for Culture and Film, is the main organizer and sponsor.
- Co-curator Viktor Misiano was dismissed last summer after Joseph Backstein requested it in a letter to the Ministry of Culture.
- The theme 'Dialectics of Hope' references a book by Boris Kagarlitsky, who criticized its misuse by the elite.
- Six international curators oversee the main exhibition with about 45 artists, including Jeremy Deller and Bill Viola.
- Parallel and special projects feature Russian artists, with the main show at the Lenin Museum near Red Square.
- The biennial aims to position Moscow as a global cultural capital and Eurasian hub.
- Discussions highlight state intervention and the elite's use of art for national image-building under Putin.
Entities
Artists
- Elena Sorokina
- Ilia Glazunov
- Aleksandr Schilov
- Viktor Misiano
- Joseph Backstein
- Jeremy Deller
- Group Gelatin
- Bill Viola
- Ilia Kabakov
- Christian Boltansky
- Viktor Erofeev
- Oxana Sarkisyan
- Daniel Birnbaum
- Iara Bobnova
- Nicolas Bourriaud
- Rosa Martinez
- Hans Ulrich Obrist
- Boris Kagarlitsky
- Ernst Bloch
- David Riff
- Olga Kopenkina
- Clemens von Wedemeyer
- Yara Bubnova
- Nicolas Bourriaurd
- Marat Guelman
- David Ter-Oganyan
- Carlos Garaicoa Manso
- Johanna Billing
- Michael Romm
Institutions
- Moscow Biennial
- Ministry of Culture
- Federal Agency for Culture and Film
- City of Moscow
- Lenin Museum
- ARTMargins Online
- Venice Biennale
- São Paulo Biennial
- Documenta
- Manifesta
- Moscow Biennale of Contemporary Art
- Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts
- State Museum of Architecture
- National Tretyakov Gallery
- Moscow Museum of Photography
- Moscow Museum of Contemporary Art
- Blue Noses
- Gelatin
Locations
- Moscow
- Russia
- New York
- United States
- Venice
- Italy
- São Paulo
- Brazil
- Kassel
- Germany
- Eastern Europe
- Central Asia
- Far East
- Great Britain
- Nigeria
- Red Square
- Berlin
- Cuba
- Sweden
- Austria
Sources
- ARTMargins —
- ARTMargins —