KASSEL — “I don’t have a concept,” said documenta 13 artistic director Carolyn Christov-Bakargiev to those gathered to kick off the year's most anticipated exhibition. While that may be the case, what Christov-Bakargiev does have is a lot of thoughts. “I want to give a lecture,” she continued, later laughing, “This is serious you know; this is documenta.”
The curator's 30-minute opening remarks spanned from Adorno and aesthetic autonomy to neurology, and from the desires of meteorites to the digital roots of rifts between rich and poor, causing some actually to cry out for her to end. (One outspoken woman burst out, “This is very un-polite. People from all over the world have come to listen to you!” as the artistic director skipped through vast portions of her opening essay.) Despite the commotion, four abstract curatorial themes or narratives became clear in the opening speech: the stage of subjecthood; besiegement by others; hope, optimism, and anticipation; and the state of retreat.
As for the all-important artist list, it is nearly 300 strong. Participants for the most part hail from a visual arts background — as one would expect at a big art show — however, philosophers and social and cultural theorists such as Judith Butler, Andrea Cavalletti, Donna Harraway, and Christoph Menke dot the list, as well as more obscure figures such as Suely Rolnik, listed as an “Unconscious analyst.” Demographically, the list is extremely gender-balanced in comparison to many international art exhibitions. A great number of artists who figured in Christov-Bakargiev's 2008 Sydney Biennale such as Janet Cardiff & George Burges Miller, and various Arte Povera artists — a specially of this curator — such as Giuseppe Penone and Alighiero Boetti also make the trip to Kassel.
As Christov-Bakargiev’s own feminist background suggests, issues of women's rights figure heavily in the exhibition. However, other tenets also prove important, such as questions of location — highlighted by the co-existence documenta 13’s four cities: This year, the show is also launching exhibitions in Kabul and Bamiyan in Afganistan, Alexandria and Cairo in Egypt, and Banff in Canada. “Located in an apparent simultaneity of places and times, they acquire meaning only through their interrelations,” Christov-Bakargiev explained to the crowd.
She also stated that she wished to point to non-human artistic and political motivations, addressing at length her failure to bring the El Chaco Meteorite to Kassel from its age-old seat in Argentina, a curatorial gambit that was announced last January. “Does [El Chaco] have any rights and how could it express them...would it have enjoyed a short trip to an art exhibition?” she asked.
Finally, it's worth noting that this year, writing and storytelling both figure prominently in the exhibition, via a writing residency titled, “Chorality. On Retreat.”
As was predicted, within the city of Kassel itself, locations have multiplied in comparison to past documentas. Beside the Fridericianum, the documenta-Halle, and the Neue Galerie, the exhibition spans nine further locations, including the Karlsaue Park where Tacita Dean has created an installation in a small house. Now the race to see it all in three short days begins.
The full list of artists follows:
Leeza Ahmady, Agent; Curator
Korbinian Aigner, Artist; Gardener; Priest
Vyacheslav Akhunov, Artist
Barmak Akram, Filmmaker; Artist
Khadim Ali, Artist
Eric Alliez, Philosopher
Allora & Calzadilla, Artists
Maria Thereza Alves, Artist
Alÿs, Francis, Artist
Ayreen Anastas, Agent; Artist; Researcher
AND AND AND, Commoners; Poets; Whatever-singularities
Arjun Appadurai, Anthropologist of globalization
Ida Applebroog, Artist
Irina Aristarkhova, Cultural Theorist
Mohammad Yusuf Asefi, Artist
Doug Ashford, Artist
Tarek Atoui, Artist
Kader Attia, Artist
Julie Ault, Artist
Alexandra Bachzetsis, Artist
Bactrian Princesses Nanni Balestrini, Artist; Poet; Writer
Amy Balkin, Artist
Lars Bang Larsen, Art Historian
Karen Barad, Physicist; Philosopher; Theorist; Scholar; Author
Bassam El Baroni, Art Critic; Curator
Judith Barry, Artist
Massimo Bartolini, Artist
Gianfranco Baruchello, Artist
Ahmed Basiony, Artist
Hrach Bayadyan, Cultural Critic
Thomas Bayrle, Artist
Jérôme Bel, Choreographer
Mario Bellatin, Advisor; Writer
Gordon Bennett, Artist
Jill Bennett, Cultural Historian; Theorist; Curator
Franco Bifo – Berardi, Activist; Philosopher; Writer
Rossella Biscotti, Artist
Iwona Blazwick, Advisor; Curator
Manon de Boer, Artist
Alighiero Boetti, Artist
Anna Boghiguian, Artist
Bruno Bosteels, Critic
Carol Bove, Artist
Ali Brivanlou, Advisor; Biologist
Kristina Buch, Artist
Susan Buck-Morss, Philosopher; Cultural Historian
Andrea Büttner, Artist
Judith Butler, Cultural Theorist; Philosopher
Gerard Byrne, Artist
CAMP (founded 2007 by Shaina Anand, Sanjay Bhangar, and Ashok Sukumaran), Artists
Cardiff, Janet & Bures Miller, George, Artists
Emily Carr, Artist
Mariana Castillo Deball, Artist
Andrea Cavalletti, Philosopher
George Chan, Agroscientist; Engineer
Paul Chan, Artist
Kudzanai Chiurai, Artist
Carolyn Christov-Bakargiev, Artistic Director
Geoff Cox, Critic; Writer; Curator
Critical Art Ensemble, Artists
Abraham Cruzvillegas, Artist
István Csákány, Artist
Attila Csörgő, Artist
Antoni Cumella, Artist
Salvador Dalí, Artist
Marie Darrieussecq, Writer
Dietmar Dath, Writer; Translator
Lydia Davis, Writer; Translator
Tacita Dean, Artist
Mark Dion, Artist
Thea Djordjadze, Artist
Willie Doherty, Artist
Nikola Doll, Art Historian; Curator
Trisha Donnelly, Artist
Sam Durant, Artist
Jimmie Durham, Artist
Epaminonda, Haris & Cramer, Daniel Gustav, Artists
Cevdet Erek, Artist
Michael Eskin, Author; Literary Critic; Publisher
Faivovich, Guillermo & Goldberg, Nicolás, Artists
Matias Faldbakken, Artist; Writer
Geoffrey Farmer, Artist
Omer Fast, Artist
Lara Favaretto, Artist
Silvia Federici, Feminist; Scholar; Activist
Ceal Floyer, Artist
Llyn Foulkes, Artist
Abul Qasem Foushanji, Artist
Chiara Fumai, Artist
Bettina Funcke, Writer; Editor
Rene Gabri, Agent; Artist; Researcher
Peter L. Galison,Historian and Philosopher of Science; Filmmaker
Dario Gamboni, Art Historian
Ryan Gander, Artist
Dora García, Artist
Fernando García-Dory, Artist
Mario Garcia Torres, Artist
Theaster Gates, Artist
Jeanno Gaussi, Artist
Ashraf Ghani, Anthropologist; Political Scientist
Mariam Ghani, Artist
Simryn Gill, Artist
Kenneth Goldsmith, Poet
Julio González, Artist
Avery F. Gordon, Writer; Social Theorist
Tue Greenfort, Agent; Artist
Boris Groys, Philosopher
Durs Grünbein, Poet
Péter György, Cultural Theorist
Zainab Haidary, Artist
Fiona Hall, Artist
Dorothea von Hantelmann, Art Historian
Donna Haraway, Advisor; Science Studies and Cultural Theorist
Michael Hardt, Philosopher; Political Theorist
Graham Harman, Philosopher
Salah M. Hassan, Advisor; Art Historian; Cultural Theorist
Florian Hecker, Artist
Alanna Heiss, Curator
Daniel Heller-Roazen, Philosopher
Tamara Henderson, Artist
Sofía Hernández Chong Cuy, Agent; Curator; Writer
Susan Hiller, Artist
Horst Hoheisel, Artist
Brian Holmes, Cultural Critic
Judith Hopf, Artist
Hourani, Khaled with Amjad Ghannam and Rashid Masharawi, Artists
Pierre Huyghe, Advisor; Artist
Sonallah Ibrahim, Writer
Sanja Iveković, Artist
Emily Jacir, Artist
Alejandro Jodorowsky, Filmmaker
Toril Johannessen, Artist
Joan Jonas, Artist
Brian Jungen, Artist
Jungen, Brian and Linklater, Duane, Artists
Rudolf Kaesbach, Artist
Kahn, Robin & La Cooperativa Unidad Nacional Mujeres Saharauis (The National Union of Women from Western Sahara), Artist
Masood Kamandy, Artist
Amar Kanwar, Artist
William Kentridge, Artist
Hassan Khan, Artist; Musician; Writer
Sunjung Kim, Agent; Curator
Adam Kleinman, Agent; Curator; Writer
Alexander Kluge, Filmmaker; Writer
Koyo Kouoh, Agent; Curator
Joasia Krysa, Agent; Curator
Christian Kuhtz, Inventor
Erkki Kurenniemi, Artist; Physicist
Marta Kuzma, Agent; Curator
Adriana Lara, Artist
Horacio Larrain Barros, Cultural Anthropologist
Lê, Dinh Q. in collaboration with Vu Giang Huong, Quang Tho, Huynh Phuong Dong, Nguyen Thu, Truong Hieu, Phan Oanh, Nguyen Toan Thi, Duong Anh, Minh Phuong, Kim Tien, Quach Phong, Nguyen Thanh Chau, Artists
Pamela M. Lee, Art Historian; Art Critic
Jolyon Leslie, Architect
Gabriel Lester, Artist
David Levi Strauss, Art Historian; Cultural Critic
David Link, Artist; Computer Scientist
Maria Loboda, Artist
Mark Lombardi, Artist
Aníbal López, Artist
Renata Lucas, Artist
Lutyens, Marcos & Raimundas Malašauskas, featuring Sissel Tolaas, Artists
Goshka Macuga, Artist
Anna Maria Maiolino, Artist
Catherine Malabou,Philosopher
Nalini Malani, Artist
Raimundas Malašauskas, Agent; Artist; Curator; Writer
Man Ray, Artist
Chus Martínez, Head of Department; Core Agent; Curator; Writer
Maria Martins, Artist
Francesco Matarrese, Artist
Fabio Mauri, Artist
Julie Mehretu, Artist
John Menick, Artist; Writer; Filmmaker
Christoph Menke, Philosopher
Gustav Metzger, Artist
Lee Miller, Photographer
W. J. T. Mitchell, Art Historian
Aman Mojadidi, Artist
MOON Kyungwon & JEON Joonho, Artists
Gareth Moore, Artist
Giorgio Morandi, Artist
Romaine Moreton, Poet
Rabih Mroué, Artist
Stephen Muecke, Cultural Theorist; Writer
Christian Philipp Müller, Artist
Zanele Muholi, Artist
Ingo Niermann, Writer
Arne Nordheim, Composer
M.A. Numminen, Composer; Performer
Objects damaged during the Lebanese Civil War (1975–90), Deformed Sculptures
Hans Ulrich Obrist, Critic; Curator
Shinro Ohtake, Artist
Rahraw Omarzad, Artist
Roman Ondák, Artist
Füsun Onur, Artist
The Otolith Group, Artists
Lívia Páldi, Agent; Curator
Christodoulos Panayiotou, Artist
Nikos Papastergiadis, Cultural Theorist
Aaron Peck, Writer; Art Critic
Giuseppe Penone, Artist
Claire Pentecost, Artist
Alexei Penzin, Philosopher
Hetti Perkins, Agent; Curator
Michael Petzet, Advisor; Conservationist
Susan Philipsz, Artist
Pratchaya Phinthong, Artist
Sopheap Pich, Artist
Griselda Pollock, Art Historian; Cultural Theorist
Lea Porsager, Artist
Michael Portnoy, Artist
Margaret Preston, Artist
Seth Price, Artist
Ana Prvacki, Artist
Walid Raad, Artist
Atiq Rahimi, Writer
Michael Rakowitz, Artist
Araya Rasdjarmrearnsook, Artist
Doreen Reid Nakamarra, Artist
Pedro Reyes, Artist
Gunnar Richter, Artist; Historian
Sarah Rifky, Agent; Curator
Stuart Ringholt, Artist
Robbins, Ruth & Red Vaughan Tremmel, Artists
Rodas, Juana Marta & Isidrez, Julia, Artists
Suely Rolnik, Unconscious Analyst
Jacqueline Rose, Cultural Theorist
Andrew Ross, Social and Cultural Analyst
Pascal Rousseau, Art Historian; Curator
Paul Ryan, Artist
Hannah Ryggen, Artist
Nawal El Saadawi, Writer
Natascha Sadr Haghighian, Architect
Anri Sala, Artist
Charlotte Salomon, Artist
Issa Samb, Artist; Writer
Annemarie Sauzeau, Writer; Art Critic
Ines Schaber, Artist
Eva Scharrer, Agent; Curator; Writer; Art Historian
Kitty Scott, Agent; Curator
Tino Sehgal, Artist
Albert Serra, Filmmaker; Artist
Nicola Setari, Agent, Philosopher
Tejal Shah, Artist
Wael Shawky, Artist
Zolaykha Sherzad, Designer
Adania Shibli, Writer
Vandana Shiva, Seed Activist
Nedko Solakov, Artist
Song Dong, Artist
Tamás St.Turba, Non-Art-Artist
Alexandra Sukhareva, Artist
Imre Szeman, Cultural Theorist
Mika Taanila, Artist, Filmmaker
Mohsen Taasha, Artist
G. M. Tamás,Philosopher
Alexander Tarakhovsky, Advisor; Geneticist
Michael Taussig, Advisor; Anthropologist
Jane Taylor, Advisor; Cultural Theorist; Writer
Javier Téllez, Artist
Aase Texmon Rygh, Artist
Warwick Thornton, Filmmaker
Time/Bank (e-flux: Julieta Aranda & Anton Vidokle), Artists
Warlimpirrnga Tjapaltjarri, Artist
Jalal Toufic, Artist; Writer
Rosemarie Trockel, Artist
Mario Tronti, Political Philosopher
Vandy Rattana, Artist; Photographer
Vann Nath, Artist
Chiara Vecchiarelli, Curator; Writer
Ignacio Vidal-Folch, Writer
Enrique Vila-Matas, Writer
Andrea Viliani, Agent; Curator
Adrián Villar Rojas, Artist
Eduardo Viveiros de Castro, Anthropologist
Jeronimo Voss, Artist
Vu Giang Huong, Artist
Roy Wagner, Anthropologist
Ian Wallace, Artist
Jessica Warboys, Artist
Lori Waxman, Critic
Clemens von Wedemeyer, Artist
Apichatpong Weerasethakul in collaboration with Chaisiri Jiwarangsan, Filmmakers; Artists
Lawrence Weiner, Artist
Eyal Weizman, Architect
Yan Lei, Artist
Haegue Yang, Artist
Akram Zaatari, Artist
Zalmaï, Artist
Alejandro Zambra, Writer
Anton Zeilinger, Advisor; Physicist
Konrad Zuse, Artist; Computer Engineer