Gimmickery, Lies and User-Generated Content: the Naughties
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SPECIAL!!! DECADE ISSUE An Art Newspaper Vel. 10 Nul. 23 APRIL 01, 2011 “Embracing the futility of the medium” FREE Gimmickery, Lies and User-Generated The Eyes of Homer: Why was sight so Content: The Naughties specific to Professor Zilehof? On Page 8 TWOMBLY FREED! Artist found in Upper West Side black site in state of deep trauma Twombly, Page 5 KINGS SUPERSIZE IT They are calling it a “gamechanger” The Tirana Controversy Burger Kings, Page 24 A look inside the biennial that shocked no one Aaron Moulton CLOWNS SUE KOONS Oh how the tables have turned TIRANA, November 11, 2001 dated December 8th, 2000, Politi responded to Flash Art contributors, including Massimiliano On December 3rd, 2000, Flash Art publisher and his new sparring partner by calling him a desper- Gioni, Jens Hoffmann, Francesco Bonami, Kath- Balloon Underdog, Page 5 art-world maverick Giancarlo Politi received ate megalomaniac, saying that he (Politi) always rin Rhomberg, Nicolas Bourriaud, Iara Boubnova, an unapologetically frank e-mail from Oliviero appreciated the legacy of Luciano Benetton as a Han Ulrich Obrist, et al — to propose artists and Toscani. During the latter half of the ’90s, Oliv- greater artist over Toscani. projects within a tight remit of no budget beyond DO YOU FOLKS PASS? iero Toscani’s success from Benetton advertising A tête-à-tête ensued wherein suddenly the acri- the desire to make it happen. In the same letter and Colors magazine provided an orgy of confron- mony cooled to a sinister dialogue. On New Year’s Toscani was invited to take part. Verbology columnist Craig Garrett tational imagery and psychically base depictions. Eve of 2000, Politi announced he had just returned Toscani’s reply was first one of reluctance and tells us how to do the delicate The message to Politi from Tirana where he then enthusiasm, even suggesting that Politi’s dance of Art’n’Language read: “Dear Director, “the biggest work of art would be organizing favorite artist, Luciano Benetton, might be will- Art’n’Language, Page 36 your magazine makes a new art biennial. In ing to provide some funding. Toscani also men- me want to throw there has ever been” collaboration with the tioned artists who he felt merited recognition for up,” and continued to local government and their efforts in opposition to the standards that he EURONATING express his discontent with the magazine’s stance artist/mayor Edi Rama, they would create the felt problematized the aforementioned Top 100 and its attempts to classify and signal important First Tirana Biennale: a quiet bellwether for the Artists list: Nancy Bellano, or “the incredibly Sarah Thornton investigates the artists as off-base after having found himself in decade’s biennial madness. But where most bien- Italian and conservatissimo Carmelo Gavotta,” provenance of fountains versus urinals a 20-way tie for last place in a Flash Art survey nials occur in the security of art world confines, and even some completely unknown African art- of Italy’s Top 100 Artists. The e-mail was flor- this would be the first “low-budget” biennial and ists like Bola Ecua and Hamid Piccardo for their Dirty Urinals, Page 45 idly decorated with expletives only the Italian the beginning of popularized art-world slumming deeply disturbing and spiritual understanding of language can muster. Politi, known himself for and avant-tourism. “I’m incredibly excited by human conditions unknown to the Western world. verbosity, astutely replied in a manner both cool- the idea of a grand exhibition in a completely The e-mail ended on a warm note requesting a THE ESTHETICIST headed and cutting: “Success and money have desolate and anarchic place where the only form Our weekly columnist gives his gone to your head, but it’s better to go crazy while of art is survival,” wrote Politi. He would go greatest hits of correspondence rich than poor, am I right?” In another e-mail on to ask some forty curators — many of them continued on Page 24 advice from the decade The Estheticist, Page 32 CREDITS EDITOR .................................................. AARON MOULtoN ............................................................................CHRIS WILEY SPECIAL THANKS ..................................................................................... MANAGING editor ................LORENA MUNOZ-ALONSO ..................................................................... CRAIG GARRETT FirST AND ForeMOST to MY BeaUtiFUL WIFE Mette (SorrY THIS tooK EDITORIAL CONSULTANT ........................CHARLES GUTE .....................................................................DANIEL KINGERY SO LONG), AND SecoND to MY FAMILY, ESPeciaLLY MY INcrediBLY CONCEPT, LAYOUT, DESIGN ................ AARON MOULtoN ..........................................................................DAVID LEVINE UNderStaNdiNG PareNTS. THird to AN EXtreMELY SUPPortiVE AND SHITCAN POPPED ADVertiSING DESIGN ............................. LOGAN WOODS ..............................................................EMILIANO PIStaccHI LOVING BUNCH OF FrieNDS AND coLLeaGUES Here IN BerLIN AND ................................................................. AARON MOULtoN ................................................FRANZ VON StaUFFENBERG ABroad WHO I deePLY adMire. AND FOURTH to THE coNtriBUterS AND ..........................................................................JOE SCANLAN StaFF WHO OFFered THeir creatiVE POWer AND ABILitieS WitH NO .....................................................................JOHN KLECKNER Fee; I AM INdeBted to YOU For MAKING THIS WHat it IS. AND LASTLY AND A second-hand account of what was CONTRIBUTERS ................................................ AMI BARAK .......................................................................LOGAN WOODS ESPeciaLLY to artiSTS AND THE art WorLD: YOU Made THIS POSSIBLE. ............................................................ANDREW BERARDINI ......................................................LORENA MUNOZ-ALONSO inside our imagination .......................................................APRIL ELIZABETH LAMM ..............................................................MAURIZIO CatteLAN ...........................................................................BOB NICKAS .................................................................. PABLO HELGUERA .....................................................................CHARLES GUTE ............................................................................. SETH PRICE Manzoni, Page 14 24 An Art Newspaper DECADE issue INTERNATIONAL The Tirana Controversy patient reply, adding that “haste is the sister of nearby with lines tuned out of focus. Christoph to move the Tirana Biennale to Prague and make repentance.” Büchel dug a deep hole in the grounds out front “The Tirana Biennale in Prague.” Edi Rama, By January 30th, Politi and Toscani had agreed and placed an old car inside of it, the roof ripped knowing the value and potential the event had for Art World Kings upon an artist list of Carmelo Gavotta, a DIY off so people could jump in. Tino Sehgal, in an his cultural infrastructure, insisted it would stay. pornographer with a handy-cam; Bola Ecua, a early moment when he was less sensitive about Politi had taken out a copyright on the name and “Supersize” It Nigerian artist who uses imagery of graphic muti- documentation, performed a dance wearing a threatened legal action if they made any attempt lations from her country for protest purposes; minimal costume. to use it. Rama, aware of what it would mean for COLOGNE, November 24, 2008 Hamid Piccardo from Marrakesh, a Muslim artist The opening of the Tirana Biennale came three Giancarlo Politi to pursue a legal battle against In a surprising move to diversify their economic and “instrument of Allah”; and Dimitri Bioy, a days after September 11th, 2001, as everything the mayor of Tirana in Tirana, went ahead, but underpinnings, the four related “Königs” of the Dutch itinerant whose photographic obsessions stood frantically still. No one from far abroad and had lawyers look at the paperwork. The copyright art world — Kaspar, Walther, Johann and Leo with pre-pubescent girls provide an unsettling especially America was in attendance. Karlheinz was, due to a typographical error, registered to a — all banded together to buy a majority share portfolio. Toscani was also given carte blanche Stockhausen regrettably referred to 9/11 as the Gianfranco Politi — a man who had little interest in the American fast-food chain Burger King. As to furnish the images that would appear on all “biggest work of art there has ever been.” Hamid in the story at the time of litigation. of immediately, the franchise will be renamed promotional materials, postcards and information Piccardo, described as “the artist of Osama bin Burger König in honor of its new owners. in the course of marketing the event. The design Laden,” had sent his leading patron’s face to the “This presents us with a unique opportunity and content of the postcards was handed over art world like a Cassandra. to bring art to a broad public and bring together to Rocco Toscani, Oliviero’s son. The public- The catalogue was printed on September 1st, extraordinary routes of transmission the worlds of art and fast food,” said kingpin and reception. It is evident, however, ity cards that began circulating by post late that and a copy arrived later that month by post to that terrorist organizations, alongside Kaspar König at a press conference yesterday. summer announced a foreboding