Prague Biennale 5

The 5th edition of the biennial will be divided in three “macro sections”: Expanded Painting, Art In General and Focus Italy. With a structure reminiscent of a Chinese Box, each macro section is divided into smaller sections, each of them organized by an international curator appointed by Prague Biennale directors Giancarlo Politi and Helena Kontova.

EXPANDED PANTING The first macro section of Prague Biennale is Expanded Painting. Conceived by Politi and Kontova, the aim of this macro section is to map the most interesting tendencies in contemporary painting with a focus on regional areas. Inspired by Rosalind Krauss’s seminal text “Sculpture in the Expanded Field,” Expanded Painting considers the work of artists who do not necessarily work only with painting, but rather with artists whose practices speak about the legacy of the medium. PAINTING OVERALL Curated by Giancarlo Politi and Helena Kontova in collaboration with Nicola Trezzi. The section consists of a mixture of emerging painters from Iceland, Sweden, Norway, Italy, the United States, the United Kingdom, Portugal and Switzerland, and has a focus on the duality figuration versus abstraction. ARTISTS: Sonia Almeida, PT; Mark Barrow, US; Baldur Geir Bragason, IS; Vittorio Brodmann, CH; Ana Cardoso, PT; Aline Cautis, US; Ann Craven, US; Francesca DiMattio, US; Ida Ekblad, NO; Enzo Giordano, IT; Heather Guertin, US; David Örn Halldórsson, IS; Ingunn Fjóla Ing•órsdóttir, IS; Jacob Kassay, US; Gilda Mautone, IT; Elizabeth Neel, US; Ylva Ogland, SE; Paloma Presents [Urs Zahn & Roman Gysin], CH; Zak Prekop, US; Jo Robertson, UK; Patricia Treib, US; Daniel Turner, US; Garth Weiser, US

PORTRAITS OF POWER Curated by Jane Neal. The artists in this section relate to Hungary either by ethnicity or through choosing it as a place to live and work. The history of the region and its imperial and communist pasts have left their mark on the artists in terms of the subject matter they choose to depict, and in some cases in their stylistic painting decisions, which at times consciously acknowledge the influence of social realism. Ultimately though, these artists are connected through a commonality of exploration: of private and public mythologies; of the power of past and present icons — whether these be human or machine; by the often strained relationships between society and the individual, and by the increased blurring of the line between reality and fiction, and the conscious and subconscious mind. ARTISTS: Zsolt Bodoni, RO/HU; Robert Fekete, RO/HU; Péter Sudár, HU; Attila Sz?cs, HU; Alexander Tinei, MD

SOME DOMESTIC INCIDENTS Curated by Matt Price with Charlie Levine. With an emphasis on figurative painting, Some Domestic Incidents presents works by eight emerging and established artists from the United Kingdom that connect to the theme of domesticity and explore how normative relationships with homes can be effected. ARTISTS: Graham Chorlton, UK; Oliver Clegg, UK; Anna M. R. Freeman, UK; Philip Hale, US; Justin Mortimer, UK; Sally Payen, UK; Caroline Walker, UK

THE NECESSITY OF ABSTRACTION Curated by Christine Nippe. The section explores new ideas of abstraction in Contemporary German art. All artists are living and working in Berlin. ARTISTS: Friederike Feldmann, DE; Arturo Herrera, VE; Gregor Hildebrandt, DE; Olaf Holzapfel, DE; Anne Neukamp, DE; Frank Nitsche, DE; Renaud Regnery, FR

ART IN GENERAL Art in General is the second macro section of Prague Biennale. Like Expanded Painting there’s a visible interest in regional areas such as the Czech Republic and Slovakia, as well as more emerging and peripheral countries like India and Canada respectively. CROSSROADS: INDIA ESCALATE Curated by Kanchi Mehta. India has been undergoing a global metamorphosis in the last few years, and has stirred all areas including economy, culture, business, education, etc. Contemporary Indian art has shown significant change, reflecting the escalating nature of the nation and the way it is perceived by the rest of the world. Artists have been boldly inspired by this very transformation; have been exposed to new media through which they have recognized many ways to express their conceptual creativity and emotions. The following artists have been selected very carefully, based on the ‘progressive’ nature of their work within the present time, influenced by issues of sexuality, rural and urban settings, ideas of mortality, politics, and religion. The artists and their work selected is the sheer evidence of the changing mindset of the youth and have become a paradigm for the standing of Indian art internationally. ARTISTS: Minam Apang, IN; Sarnath Banerjee, IN; Nikhil Chopra, IN; Anita Dube, IN; Sakshi Gupta, IN; PS Jalaja, IN; Sonia Jose, IN; Ranbir Kaleka, IN; Shreyas Karle, IN; Riyas Komu, IN; Monali Meher, IN; Justin Ponmany, IN; TV Santosh, IN; Gigi Scaria, IN; Shah Betancourt, IN; Charmi Gada Shah, IN; Tejal Shah, IN; Sudarshan Shetty, IN; Shine Shivan, IN; Avinash Veeraraghavan, IN; T Venkanna, IN; Vivek Vilasini, IN

…TO PERCEIVE IN THE DARKNESS OF THE PRESENT… Curated by Vjera Borozan and Mariana Serranová. This section is based on the idea that society is looking for new, direct ways to define the “status quo” and needs a new approach to formulate questions. Emphasizing one’s subjective gesture as a way of facing reality as it is and overcoming time and space in the classical categories are one of the main goals of this exhibition. ARTISTS: Hynek Alt, CZ & Aleksandra Vajd, SI; Silvina Arismendi, UY/US; Daniela Bará?ková, CZ; Milena Dopitová, CZ; Tomá? D?ado?, SK; Martin Froulík, CZ; La?a Ga?iová, SK; Juraj Jakub?iak, SK; Eva Ji?i?ka, CZ; Eva Ko?átková, CZ; Franti?ek Kowolowski, CZ; Karel Kunc, CZ; Pavla Malinová, CZ and Martin Froulík, CZ; Jan Nálevka, CZ; Markéta Othová, CZ; Milan Salák, CZ; Pavla Sceranková, SK; Tereza Severová, CZ; Erik Sikora, SK; Ev?en ?imera, CZ; Mat?j Smetana, CZ; Sláva Sobotovi?ová, SK; Pavel Sterec, CZ; Tomá? Svoboda, CZ; Veronika Vlková, CZ; Ladislav Vondrák, CZ; Ivan Voseck••, CZ

WHATEVER WE DO WE CANNOT CONNECT WITH YOU Curated by L••dia Pribi?ová and Katarína Slaninová. The Slovak section at the Prague Biennale 5 thematizes the issue of (non) communication, not only in the everyday life but first of all in the art world that is full of distorted information and subsequent communication noise, misunderstanding and misinterpretation often resulting into the conflict situations. The communication flaws, misunderstanding, distorting and blurring play a key role in the sphere of art — ‘dynamising’ the working and professional relations and creating new unexpected situations. ARTISTS: Erik Binder, SK; András Cséfalvay, SK; Anna Dau?íková, SK; Tomá? D?ado?, SK; Richard Fajnor, SK; Petra Feriancová, SK; Pavlína Fichta ?ierna, SK; Viktor Fre?o, SK; Mira Gáberová, SK; Marek Kvetan, SK; Michal Morav?ík, SK; Ilona Németh, SK; Karol Pichler, SK

LES AFFINITÉS SÉLECTIVES / SELECTIVE AFFINITIES Curated by Marius Tanasescu. Is it true that “works of art are not merely representations of the way things are, but actually produce a community’s shared understanding,” like Heidegger asserted? Is homo artisticus canadensis participating on it, as an effective thespian? ARTISTS: Adad Hannah, CA; Mathieu Lefèvre, CA; Aude Moreau, CA; Cécile Martin, CA & Francisco López, ES; David Spriggs, CA; Ève K. Tremblay, CA

FOCUS ITALY Continuing from for Prague Biennale 4 there will also be a macro section mapping the scene in Italy, which is a country that has been always on the radar of the event since it inception.

DOMESTICITY Curated by Lucie Fontaine. While the Italian heritage of family and society is collapsing a generation of emerging Italian artists is presenting works of art that speak about domesticity and craftsmanship, establishing an interesting connection between tradition and cultural innovation. ARTISTS: Riccardo Beretta, IT; Lupo Borgonovo, IT; Michele Chiossi, IT; Patrizio Di Massimo, IT; Cleo Fariselli, IT; Enza Galantini, IT; Marcello Martin, IT; Alice Mandelli, IT; Alek O., IT; Matteo Rubbi, IT; Santo Tolone, IT; Alice Tomaselli, IT; Marcella Vanzo, IT; Mauro Vignando, IT

THE CRISIS OF CONFIDENCE Curated by Marta Barbieri and Lino Baldini. You just need to read the newspaper or watch the news to realize that the level of confidence in our society is very low. Even the current financial climate is the result of the crisis of confidence. This section, featuring emerging Italian artists, presents a series of works specifically selected by the curators in order to illustrate the situation. ARTISTS: Yuri Ancarani, IT; Filippo Berta, IT; Luca Bolognesi, IT; Silvia Hell, IT; Rudina Hoxhaj, IT; Runo Lagomarsino, SE; Domenico Antonio Mancini, IT; Maria Lucrezia Schiavarelli, IT; Marco Strappato, IT; Davide Valenti, IT

IF YOU WANT THIS STORY TO CONTINUE… Selected by Andrea Bruciati. It is a fact: our existence is reflected on the screens. This derives from a systematic, widespread, unexpected and inescapable invasion. We are surprised and unprepared to receive it, overwhelmed by our inadequacy. In a country like Italy, so seduced by the mediatic power of television, the diffusion of the technological image came so quick that we did not have the time to understand the consequences of what is going on. ARTISTS: Riccardo Benassi, IT; Jacopo Candotti, IT; Danilo Correale, IT; Patrizio Di Massimo, IT; Cleo Fariselli, IT; Riccardo Giacconi, IT; Diego Marcon, IT; Alessandra Messali, IT; Nicola Nunziata., IT; Giulio Squillacciotti, IT; Marco Strappato, IT; Ian Tweedy, US; Driant Zeneli, AL

PRAGUE BIENNALE PHOTO 2 ROMANTIC CONSTRUCT / ROMANTICK KONSTRUKT Curated by Daniela Dostálková and Tomá? Posp?ch. Continuing the mandate of Prague Biennale Photo 1, the aim of this section is to spotlight the work of young artists coming from all around the world whose practices deal with the history and tradition of the photographic medium. ARTISTS: Jan Adriaans, NL; Melanie Bonajo, NL; Amira Fritz, DE; Sanna Kannisto, FI; Matthieu Lavanchy, CH; Kamila Musilová, CZ; Bára P?idalová, CZ; Yan Renelt, CZ & Kry?tof Kalina, CZ; Jaap Scheeren, NL; Diana Scherer, NL; Michaela Thelenová, CZ; Martin T?ma, CZ; Tomá? Werner, SK; Henk Wildschut, NL; Magda Wunsche, PL

INSIDE - OUTSIDE: SOME ASPECTS OF CONTEMPORARY POLISH PHOTOGRAPHY Curated by Marek Grygiel. A survey mapping the scene of contemporary photography in Poland. ARTISTS: Adam Lach, Maciej Jezierski, Ewa Meissner (Napo Agency), PL; Adam Panczuk, PL; Krzysztof Pijarski, PL; Dominika Truszczynska, PL; Joanna Zastrozna, PL; Albert Zawada, PL

Prague Biennale 5
Direktoren: Giancarlo Politi, Helena Kontova
Kuratoren: Nicola Trezzi
& Lydia Pribisova, Katarina Slaninova, Kanchi Mehta, Vjera Borozan, Mariana Serranova, Jane Neal, Matt Price, Charlie Levine, Christine Nippe, Marius Tanasescu, Lucie Fontaine, Marta Barbieri, Lino Baldini, Andrea Bruciati, Daniela Dostalkova, Tomas Pospech, Marek Grygiel

Künstler: Minam Apang, Sarnath Banerjee, Nikhil Chopra, Anita Dube, Sakshi Gupta, PS Jalaja, Sonia Jose, Ranbir Kaleka, Shreyas Karle, Riyas Komu, Monali Meher, Justin Ponmany, TV Santosh, Gigi Scaria, Shah Betancourt, Charmi Gada Shah, Tejal Shah, Sudarshan Shetty, Shine Shivan, Avinash Veeraraghavan, T Venkanna, Vivek Vilasini, Hynek Alt, Aleksandra Vajd, Silvina Arismendi, Daniela Barackova, Milena Dopitova, Tomas Dzadon, Martin Froulik, Ladislava Gaziova, Juraj Jakubciak, Eva Jiricka, Eva Kotatkova, Frantisek Kowolowski, Karel Kunc, Pavla Malinova, Martin Froulik, Jan Nalevka, Marketa Othova, Milan Salak, Pavla Scerankova, Tereza Severova, Erik Sikora, Evzen Simera, Matej Smetana, Slava Sobotovicova, Pavel Sterec, Tomas Svoboda, Veronika Vlkova, Ladislav Vondrak, Ivan Voseck, Sonia Almeida, Mark Barrow, Baldur Geir Bragason, Vittorio Brodmann, Ana Cardoso, Aline Cautis, Ann Craven, Francesca DiMattio, Ida Ekblad, Enzo Giordano, Heather Guertin, David Örn Halldorsson, Ingunn Fjola Ingorsdottir, Jacob Kassay, Gilda Mautone, Elizabeth Neel, Ylva Ogland, Paloma Presents  (Urs Zahn & Roman Gysin), Zak Prekop, Jo Robertson, Patricia Treib, Daniel Turner, Garth Weiser, Zsolt Bodoni, Robert Fekete, Peter Sudar, Attila Szucs, Alexander Tinei, Graham Chorlton, Oliver Clegg, Anna M. R. Freeman, Philip Hale, Justin Mortimer, Sally Payen, Caroline Walker, Friederike Feldmann, Arturo Herrera, Gregor Hildebrandt, Olaf Holzapfel, Anne Neukamp, Frank Nitsche, Renaud Regnery, Erik Binder, Andras Csefalvay, Anna Daucikova, Tomas Dzadon, Richard Fajnor, Petra Feriancova, Pavlina Fichta Cierna, Viktor Freso, Mira Gaberova, Marek Kvetan, Michal Moravcik, Ilona Nemeth, Karol Pichler, Adad Hannah, Mathieu Lefevre, Aude Moreau, Cecile Martin & Francisco Lopez, David Spriggs, Eve K. Tremblay, Riccardo Beretta, Lupo Borgonovo, Michele Chiossi, Patrizio Di Massimo, Cleo Fariselli, Enza Galantini, Marcello Martin, Alice Mandelli, Alek O. , Matteo Rubbi, Santo Tolone, Alice Tomaselli, Marcella Vanzo, Mauro Vignando, Yuri Ancarani, Filippo Berta, Luca Bolognesi, Silvia Hell, Rudina Hoxhaj, Runo Lagomarsino, Domenico Antonio Mancini, Maria Lucrezia Schiavarelli, Marco Strappato, Davide Valenti, Riccardo Benassi, Jacopo Candotti, Danilo Correale, Patrizio Di Massimo, Cleo Fariselli, Riccardo Giacconi, Diego Marcon, Alessandra Messali, Nicola Nunziata, Giulio Squillacciotti, Marco Strappato, Ian Tweedy, Driant Zeneli, Jan Adriaans, Melanie Bonajo, Amira Fritz, Sanna Kannisto, Matthieu Lavanchy, Kamila Musilova, Bara Pridalova, Yan Renelt, Krystof Kalina, Jaap Scheeren, Diana Scherer, Michaela Thelenova, Martin Tuma, Tomas Werner, Henk Wildschut, Magda Wunsche, Adam Lach, Maciej Jezierski, Ewa Meissner (Napo Agency ), Adam Panczuk, Krzysztof Pijarski, Dominika Truszczynska, Joanna Zastrozna, Albert Zawada