Vulnerability, brutality, hope: Complexism and the 56th Venice Biennale. Issue 1 (1st June 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Tromble, Meredith
• Is Part Of: Technoetic arts. Volume 14:Issue 1/2(2016)
• Page Start: 71
• Page End: 82
• Publication Date: 2016-06-01
• Subjects: Interdisciplinary approach to knowledge -- Periodicals; Interdisciplinary research -- Periodicals; Consciousness -- Periodicals; High technology -- Social aspects -- Periodicals; 001
• DOI: 10.1386/tear.14.1-2.71_1
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1477-965X

Abstract

Exploring an aesthetics of complexity relevant to contemporary art, the artist/author discusses the 56th Venice Biennale, curated by Okwui Enwezor, in light of Philip Galanter's essay 'Complexism and the role of evolutionary art'. Artworks by Steve McQueen, Isaac Julien, Mika Rottenberg, Hito Steyerl, Im Heung-Soon, Katrīna Neiburga and Andris Eglītis are related to concepts of emergence, chaos, feedback, generative process, and networks, and writings by philosopher Manuel Delanda, sociologist Saskia Sassen and physicist James P. Crutchfield. As one of the most influential international exhibitions of contemporary art, the Venice Biennale is considered a bellwether of future trends; this edition called 'All the World's Futures' presents artwork in context with a dissolving binary paradigm of communism/capitalism that fails to adequately address labour, environmental and immigration issues. The author concludes that an approach informed by complexity theory holds more promise, aesthetically and politically.