Renato Barilli on the 57th Venice Biennale: A Positive Review of 'Viva Arte Viva'

Renato Barilli offers a positive assessment of the 57th Venice Biennale, curated by Christine Macel, praising its globalized approach where Western countries step back in favor of emerging nations. He notes the inclusion of deceased artists and a predominance of unknown artists in their thirties and forties. Barilli criticizes the curator's thematic sections as generic and pleonastic, preferring to navigate by stylistic families. He describes the Central Pavilion, starting unfavorably with Olafur Eliasson's didactic piece but recovering with Edi Rama's colorful wallpaper. He highlights works by John Latham, Geng Janyi, Hassan Sharif, Raymond Hains, Kiki Smith, Marwan, Lubos Pliny, and Hajra Waheed. At the Arsenale, he praises Maria Lai's thread narratives, Judith Scott's cushions, Ernesto Neto's synthetic cage, and Eleonor Antunes' hanging filaments. He notes the prevalence of spherical forms and light, intricate graphics, citing Irma Blank, Riccardo Guarneri, Giorgio Griffa, and Michel Blazy. Barilli concludes that the Biennale is one of entanglement, softness, and rhizome.