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Oliver Marchart

The Politics of Biennialisation


Why waste another breath discussing the biennialisation of the art world, which hardly a city seems able to resist? Why analyze a mega-exhibition like the documenta, that – similar to a dwarf planet in its orbit – enters the field of art every five years and then disappears back into the dark depths of the universe? Or the Venice Biennial which, with its stultifying routine, defends its position as art-olympia and probably has as little to do with the 21st century as the rest of Venice? Are such Potemkinesque art villages, that are built and unbuilt every two, three, or five years, really so meaningful, so as to deserve an in-depth analysis?

Since 2006 Oliver Marchart is Professor at the Universtiy of Luzern, 2001-2002 he was Scientific Advisor and Head of the Education Project of documenta 11. He lectured at different universities (University of Vienna, University of Innsbruck, Art Academies, Essex Summer School, University of Basel). Fellowships: Research Fellow at the Centre for Theoretical Studies, University of Essex (1995); Junior Fellow at the International Research Center for Cultural Studies in Vienna (1997-1998); Fellow at the Columbia University Institute at Reid Hall and the École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales, Paris (2005).

www.unilu.ch/deu/prof_dr_oliver_marchart_38197.html