The Biennale's Outdated Algorithm: A Flawed System in the Age of AI
The 60th Biennale Arte 2024, also known as the "Foreigners Everywhere" edition, is scheduled to take place from April 20 to November 24, 2024.
Rethink the Biennial: More Than Just Social Gatherings
For years, I have tirelessly pointed out the crisis in the art world's beloved biennials. It is an institutional crisis. These events were once seen as platforms for cultural exchange and artistic innovation. But, they have become little more than social-tourist gatherings. They exploit artists for nationalistic agendas and market manipulation.
A Call to Restore Innovation in Art Biennials
Recent data on the Venice Biennale and the sad figures from The Art Basel and UBS Art Market Report 2024 confirm my long-held suspicions. The biennale's algorithm is old, wrong for the AI era, and broken.
Biennale Arte 2024: Is Diversity Just a Mask?
The 2024 Venice Biennale, with its ironically titled "Foreigners Everywhere" theme, boasts the largest number of participating artists ever, with a notable increase in representation from the Global South. While seemingly diverse, a closer look reveals a troubling reality. Two-thirds of the chosen artists are deceased, highlighting a fascination with the past that borders on necrophilia.
The 20th-century art market fades. The biennale immortalizes deceased masters. Their works transcend economic shifts, like timeless treasures in a living mausoleum.
This, coupled with the rise in participation of older living artists, suggests a reluctance to engage with the truly contemporary and a fear of embracing the new.
The Current State of the Art Market
Confronting a Shrinking Art Market: The Need for Change
This backward-looking approach is particularly ironic given the current state of the art market. The Art Basel and UBS report paints a clear picture: a market in contraction, with a decline in high-value sales and a shift towards cautious, lower-priced purchases. In this climate, the biennale's insistence on prioritizing established names and historical figures over emerging talent feels out of touch and, frankly, irresponsible.
Why the Art World's Old Guard Can't Define Our Artistic Future
The biennale's national pavilion structure, once a symbol of cultural diplomacy, has become increasingly problematic. As nationalism rises globally and countries grapple with internal conflicts, these pavilions risk becoming echo chambers of propaganda and self-promotion.
The controversy surrounding Israel's participation, and the rejection of a Palestinian exhibition, exposes the biennale's susceptibility to political manipulation and its failure to provide a truly neutral platform for artistic expression.
Biennale Arte 2024
The Price of Art: Luxury and Commerce Over Creativity
The increasing involvement of luxury brands and auction houses in funding the biennale further muddies the waters. While state funding dwindles, the art world's reliance on commercial entities raises concerns about conflicts of interest and the potential for the biennale to become a mere marketing tool for the wealthy elite.
The Potential of AI and New Technologies in Art
In the age of AI, where algorithms dictate our every move, the biennale's outdated formula feels particularly archaic. AI-powered tools offer unprecedented opportunities for artistic exploration and audience engagement. Instead of clinging to a structure designed for a bygone era, the biennale must embrace new technologies and adapt to the changing landscape of art and culture.
Innovating Art Biennales with Technology and Inclusion
The time has come for a radical reimagining of the biennale model. We need a system that prioritizes artistic merit over nationality, that champions emerging talent alongside established names, and that utilizes technology to foster genuine dialogue and meaningful connections.
The art world deserves an algorithm that reflects the complexity and dynamism of the 21st century, not one that clings to the ghosts of the past.
AI art: A dynamic fusion of human ingenuity and artificial intelligence, pushing the boundaries of creative expression.
"Two-thirds of the chosen artists are deceased"
It’s a practical solution, but it makes you wonder what the artists would have said.
AI art is not just a trend, it's a revolution in creative expression. The Biennale needs to acknowledge this and provide a platform for AI artists to showcase their work alongside traditional mediums.