Art Insight #22: Maria Lind
Artistic Director of Gwangju Biennale 2016
‘The eleventh Gwangju Biennale’ has been unveiled. The biennale, where domestic and foreign media, experts of contemporary art and artists gather, has been prepared at its best to suit its title of being ‘international’; scouting Maria Lind, who is leading the contemporary art of Northern Europe, it is already in the centre of news and discussions.
The artistic director Maria Lind has been devoting herself to recreate “The Eighth Climate”, which refers to “a state one might reach using imaginative capacities”, by directing the subjects, outlines, nuance of artworks and even the temperature of exhibition spaces. We met Maria Lind and asked about Gwangju Biennale’s today and vision, and leap of Korean contemporary art.
I am interested in what art does, what reverberations it has. What does art do? This is a big and important question. We try to engage with the individual art works in the ‘Gwangju Biennale’, to figure out what each of them does. Not what it is but precisely what it does. - Maria Lind -
Q. ‘Gwangju Biennale 2016’ has finally begun. Could you say few words about it?
It has been an amazing adventure and I hope that many people will explore its many aspects, in their own ways.
Q. You have explained that this year's theme “The Eighth Climate” is “where the reality and imagination meet and the territory where infinite imagination and potential is created.” How did you come to choose this theme, and could you tell us more about the theme?
“The Eighth Climate (What Does Art Do?)” is a title, not a “theme” or a “concept.” It rather indicates a set of parameters of ‘11th Gwangju Biennale.’ It is about placing art center stage, art’s capacity to always say something about the future and connect dots over small and big distances, its embeddedness in particular situations, and mediation. One of the things which we might end up doing is to enter a dance of futurity where the past is neither completely forgotten nor a guiding light. In this sense, ‘11th Gwangju Biennale’ is a temperature check of art today.
The title “Eighth Climate” refers to a state, or an inner world one might reach using imaginative capacities. The notion of the eighth climate dates back to 12th century Persian mystic and philosopher Sohrevardi, and was elaborated by 20th century French philosopher Henry Corbin. In the context of ‘11th Gwangju Biennale’, the eighth climate helps us explore art’s capacity to say and do something about the future, without either being paralyzed by its prospects or defaulting to established technologies of prediction. The eighth climate evokes art as a seismograph, detecting change before other means of observation, whether the artists are conscious of it or not, allowing for something slightly different. This implies neither art for art’s sake nor a utilitarian approach, but rather about “art itself.”
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Q. What do you think sets this biennale apart from others? Compared to other biennials(not only biennials in Korea, but also international ones), what is original about the ‘Gwangju Biennale’?
The ‘Gwangju Biennale’ has a legacy that is not only extremely interesting, but also humbling, connecting the biennale to the location in a special way. The city has gone through something remarkable, in addition to what has happened in general in the country, with the long period of dictatorship and struggles for labour rights in the midst of rapid economic development. Wanting to make a more “embedded” biennial is related to this particular history of the biennale, which in turn grew directly out of the city’s past. Not through a theme or the like, but a methodology.
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Q. What was your main philosophy while directing the event? I also would like to know if there was any special memory or difficulty.
Art’s capacity to say something about the future, embeddedness and mediation in terms of wanting to connect to the city, and connecting dots over big and small distances—this led us to make ‘11th Gwangju Biennale’ into a constellation of many parts that happened over one year, starting in January 2016. Thinking thoroughly about what art does—without necessarily implying a utilitarian approach—how art works land in different contexts, and how they sit in society and create ripples on the water. Many of the art projects pertain to more than one strand, which hints at possible readings of works rather than aiming at firmly framing them. The strands include “above and below ground”, “right to opacity”, “the image people” and “new subjectivities.”
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Q. How did you select the artists, and who or which section do you think represented this year's theme the best?
Strong and relevant practices have been important, as interpreted by the curatorial team. This ‘Gwangju Biennale’ is purposefully kaleidoscopic, and does not have a theme, so it is not possible to think about what might best represent it. Nevertheless, I am, for example, looking forward to seeing the development of Apolonija Šušteršič and Dari Bae’s project on a performative city plan for the neighborhood of Duamdong, where they have worked with the local residents since the winter and now present a video and “planning table” in the local community center.
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Q. I understand that you have given many lectures on the role of art in society. Could you tell us briefly about it?
I am interested in what art does, what reverberations it has. What does art do? This is a big and important question. The proposal here is that thanks to both its imaginative and literal aspects, art is more necessary than ever, and that we try to engage with the individual art works in the ‘Gwangju Biennale’, to figure out what each of them does. Not what it is but precisely what it does.
Q. There are numerous enterprises in Korea that are concerned about art. What would you advise them to keep in mind when venturing into contemporary art?
To support artists directly as much as possible, and to nurture the small and medium size visual arts organizations. Roughly one hundred small- and medium-scale art organizations whose work makes important contributions to the art of today are invited as the Biennale Fellows. Distinct from bigger-scale art organizations such as museums, art fairs, and biennales, these organizations often function as the research and development department of the art world, nurturing artistic, curatorial, educational, social and political experimentation. Above all, they actively support artists to cultivate their practices, foster contact, and work with conflict zones around themselves, including neighbors and various practitioners from other fields.
Q. Which part of Korean contemporary art scene interests you the most? Any artists to watch out for?
The Korean artists participating in ‘11th Gwangju Biennale’ are Siren Eun young Yang, Suki Seokyeong Kang, Bona Park, Sojung Jun, Jeamin Cha, Joungmin Yi, Jewyo Rhii, Seola Kim and Inseon Park. I am for example curious about Bona Park’s new work for the ‘Ansan Public project’ this fall.
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Elena Damiani <The Erratic Marbles 2> 2014
Print on plate from found book on gliclee print on cotton paper
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Mariana Silva Video still of <Coin of Fountain of Regeneration> 2014
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Exhibition view
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Michael Beutler Installation view of <Daein Sausage Shop>
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Otobong Nkanga Performance view of <From Where I Stand>
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Exhibition view
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Arseny Zhilyaev <Russian Cosmic Federation> 2015
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Arseny Zhilyaev <Russian Cosmic Federation> 2015
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Christopher Kulendran Thomas <New Eelam> 2016
Mixed media
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siren eun young jung Video still of <Act of Affect> 2013
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Gunilla Klingberg <Sun Print> 2016
Profile
Maria Lind, artistic director of the ‘2016 Gwangju Biennale’, is a curator based in Stockholm. From the curator of Moderna Museet, director of Munich Kunstverein, to director of International Association of Curators of Contemporary Art(IKT), she has been serving important positions. She was appointed as a visiting professor of University of Gothenburg from 2010 to 2012, and curated the Sweden pavilion at ‘Sao Paulo Biennial in 2002’ and <Future Light> at ‘Vienna Biennale’ in 2015. She is now playing an active part as a director of Tensta Konsthall in Stockholm, cultural foothold of Northern Europe.
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