Anti-Biennial in Herzliya
Graphic by Angelie Zaslavsky
Crossposted from Haaretz
The third Herzliya Biennial of Contemporary Art, which opens this week, challenges every expectation of the urban biennial art event: It does not strive for grandiose dimensions, it does not boast virtuoso works that celebrate art, and as a whole, it is not a celebration at all.
“Second Strike,” curated by Ory Dessau, appears to reverse traditional roles and resists imposing its thesis on the artists whose work it features. They in turn dismantle the proposed thesis and continuously reconstruct it all over again, differently each time.
Herzliya has been sleepy in the days leading up to the biennial opening. Scattered about the city are signs announcing the event, and the difference between this biennial and the previous one is evident in the works of the Picnic group, which focused on a colorful, visual celebration.
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