Best Art Festival: Documenta 13

Jan 4, 2013 10:45PM

Without a doubt the greatest art event of 2013. No other art world happening, retrospective or biennial could match the exquisite cultural organism which Carolyn Christov-Bakargiev created in Kassel, Germany. Its subtlety was underscored by a cohesive vision with a decentralized focus, within which a multitude of microcosms sprung to life.

Finding the agency and memory imbued in objects, and delving into multidisciplinary fields and difficult histories, Documenta 13 wove together hundreds of strains, ideas and artists. The works are countless but I could not miss mentioning the poignant simplicity of Tino Sehgal’s black-out performance, Theaster Gates’ study of material culture and Adrian Villar Rojas’ clay explorations in form and architecture set amongst a tiered garden. Also numbering amongst the highlights of the year were Janet Cardiff and George Bures Miller’s sound installations in the Karlsaue Park and the Hauptbahnhof train station.

Original article appeared in Art Market Monitor

Elena Soboleva