III Moscow International Biennale for Young Art

“Under the Tinsel Sun”

Founders: Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation, Department of Culture of the City of Moscow, National Centre for Contemporary Arts (NCCA), Moscow Museum of Modern Art (MMOMA).

Organized by: National Centre for Contemporary Arts (NCCA), Moscow Museum of Modern Art (MMOMA)

In collaboration with Neuer Berliner Kunstverein (n.b.k.).

Central House of Artists

July 11 – August 10, 2012

Moscow Museum of Modern Art (MMOMA)

(17, Ermolayevsky Lane)

July 12 – August 18, 2012

National Center for Contemporary Art (NCCA)

(13, Zoologicheskaya Street)

July 12 – August 12, 2012

The Moscow International Biennale for Young Art being one of the major international art-events will enrich the city`s cultural scene for the third time in summer 2012. The Biennale entering competition took place in September-December 2011 and attracted over 2700 proposals by young artists and curators under 35 from 77 countries. Along with the main and the strategic projects featuring works selected by two different curators in the course of the competition announced, the Biennale will present the parallel and the special programs approved by the curators and organizers of the event. In addition this year’s Biennale will include a vast range of educational and academic activities.

The international status of the Biennale plays an important role allowing integration of the young Russian art in the world context and defining the perspectives of a multicultural artistic dialogue.

The Biennale Curator Kathrin Becker is a Berlin based art historian currently working as the head of the Video-Forum at the Neuer Berliner Kunstverein (n.b.k.). Along with a vast number of major exhibitions in Berlin, New York, Barcelona, and Prague, Becker curated solo shows by Louise Bourgeois, Maryam Jafri, Matthias Muller, Artur Zmijewski, Andrei Monastyrsky, Dmitri Prigov, and many other renowned artists.

Denoting its theme “Under a Tinsel Sun” the main project of the Biennale will be hosted at the Central House of Artists. The name chosen for the project reflects the key problem of this year`s concept – the indistinguishability between the “original” and “fake”, the lack of self-identity amidst the world rapidly medialized, and the unlimited range of artistic options without  a consistent way for development. According to the curatorial concept the audience will be introduced to a multimedia project aimed at showing the relevant perspective of the young generation art, its specific diversity of methods, languages and styles. In general the Biennale will address the problem of artists self-positioning in the modern world, and the context of their activity.

The short list of the main project included 81 works by 80 authors being solo artists as well as artistic groups (98 artists altogether) from 32 countries, of which 11 were from Russia, 7 from Germany, 6 from USA, 6 from Austria, 4 from Pakistan, 4 from South Africa,4 from  Israel, 3 from Great Britain, 3 from Iran, along with artists from Argentina, Belarus, Chile, China, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Georgia, Indonesia, Italy, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, and Vietnam.   

The Biennale Strategic Project entitled “Inconclusive Analysis” will be displayed at two venues: at the Moscow Museum of Modern Art and at the National Center for Contemporary Art in Moscow. The project will be curated by Elena Selina, a well-known Russian art historian, critic, and gallery owner. The project incorporates works by 72 authors from 33 countries.

The main aim of the strategic project is to study the status of young art today, and to determine the main tendencies and trends, thus presenting the context of contemporary young artists` activities. Therewith the “Inconclusive Analysis” provides much needed exposure opportunity for those not included in the main project.

The Special Program of curatorial projects was formed by Kathrin Becker in collaboration with the Biennale organizers subsequent to the results of the contest open to both curators and curatorial groups.  Among 56 applications from 15 countries were submissions from USA, Poland, Latvia, Iran, Belgium, France, China, et al. The 17 projects selected for the special program will be displayed at various venues in Moscow.

The special program circumscribes the actual range of methods and problems approached by young curators in the present-day world. One of its main objectives is introducing the wider audience to the product of collaboration between the curators along with the artists of the young generation.

The Parallel Program includes 9 projects by young artists and curators along with 2 festivals, one of which will present a range of short films while the other is formed by a series of events turning to contemporary street art and modes of creating a new urban interface.  According to the Biennale Terms the projects accepted to the Parallel Program may be realized at any venue without the need of complying with the main theme of the Biennale. However, the projects are a subject for approval by the organizers of the event.

A number of the Parallel program exhibitions are scheduled to open earlier than the main project of the Biennale allowing the audience to explore the range of topics approached by contemporary young artists and the relevant context of their activity. Furthermore, the festivals included in the program will present alternative art forms such as street-art and short films thus expanding the formal framework of the Biennale.

The Biennale Educational Program is formed by a range of various events including round tables, lectures, workshops, and film screenings. The program is aimed at establishing a meaningful dialogue between artists, curators, art-historians, gallery owners, collectors, critics, art-students, and the wider audience. The diversity of professionals participating in the educational events of the Biennale will allow simultaneous involving of artistic, theoretical, and curatorial methods in contemporary art studies. Likewise the implication of different formats is intended at exploring the methods mentioned and the modes of analyzing the “objective reality” as it is presented in the creations of young contemporary artists.

The program presents two round tables:  

“The multiplicity of reality in contemporary art practice”

“Reality fights back: Drastic shifts in economy and politics and the consequences for contemporary art practice”

The events will bring together a group of international and Russian professionals, specializing in various art fields. The list of participating artists and specialists includes Bridget Baker (artist, London), Christopher Eamon (curator, writer, New York), Julia Draganovic (curator, Modena), Shahram Entekhabi (artist, Berlin / Tehran), Niklas Goldbach (artist, Berlin), Remy Markowitsch (artist, Berlin / Zurich), Ekaterina Degot (curator, Moscow), Kathy Rae Huffmann (curator, Long Beach / Berlin), Adrienne Goehler (Curator, Berlin), Melentie Pandilovski (Director, Video Pool Video Arts Centre, Winnipeg), Aneta Szylak (Director, Wyspa, Gdansk), Dmitry Vilensky (artist, member of Chto delat? art group, St. Petersburg)/

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