Anti-Biennial in Herzliya
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.
I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.
Now more than ever, American Jews need independent news they can trust, with reporting driven by truth, not ideology. We serve you, not any ideological agenda.
At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S. on the impact of the war, rising antisemitism and the protests on college campuses.
Readers like you make it all possible. Support our work by becoming a Forward Member and connect with our journalism and your community.
Make a gift of any size and become a Forward member today. You’ll support our mission to tell the American Jewish story fully and fairly.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO
Join our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.