Ralph Rugoff on the 2019 Venice Biennale: 'Artists ask questions, but we must change the world'

In an interview with Artribune, Ralph Rugoff, director of the 2019 Venice Biennale, discusses his curatorial approach. He criticizes the tendency of biennials to prioritize spectacle over meaningful experiences, noting that after seeing twenty artworks his attention wanes. To counter this, he restructured the Arsenale with wooden partitions to create more focused areas, breaking the overwhelming architecture. Rugoff emphasizes respect for artists, allowing them to show different facets of their practice by exhibiting in both the Arsenale and the Central Pavilion. For example, South African photographer Zanele Muholi presents giant self-portraits at the Arsenale and smaller, intimate shots at the Giardini. Christian Marclay shows wood engravings in the Central Pavilion and a complex digital film at the Corderie. Rugoff rejects the notion that art should change the world, stating that artists should act as artists, not anthropologists or politicians. He values multidimensionality and artists who explore multiple stories rather than a single message. He deliberately balanced painting, video, installation, and photography, avoiding too many videos. The Biennale is described as 'the Biennale of alternatives,' highlighting that each artist presents two proposals (A and B), implying endless possibilities. Rugoff affirms the playful nature of the exhibition, saying 'What would life be without play? It would be terribly boring.'