The working title of the exhibition project is “Since the Time St. Petersburg Regained its Name.” The main focus of the biennale will be the Hermitage and Palace Squares, located in the historic center of the city.
Kasper König is one of the most iconic figures in the contemporary art world, his experience spans a generation, as does his know-how and close relationships with international artists. Among the numerous large-scale exhibitions that König has previously curated are; Westkunst 1981 in Cologne, von hier aus – Zwei Monate neue deutsche Kunst in Düsseldorf 1984 and Der zerbrochene Spiegel in Vienna and Hamburg. He was also the co-initiator of the Skulptur Projekte Münster 1977. From 1988 to 1999 he was professor at the Städelschule in Frankfurt and was also founding director of the Portikus, Frankfurt/Main. König was the director of Museum Ludwig, Cologne, Germany, from 2000 to 2012.
As a nomadic biennial, Manifesta meaningfully invests in education, learning and public programmes, which fits with König’s immense experience and knowledge in the field of artistic practices from his position in the Frankfurter Städelschule. König also has a clear understanding of the function of museums in a changing society, and the museum as a free place for ideas and criticality.
2014 marks the 20th anniversary of Manifesta which was initiated in response to the new social, cultural and political reality that emerged in the aftermath of the Cold War. 2014 also marks the State Hermitage Museum’s 250th anniversary, and hosting the roving European Biennial for Contemporary Art will form part of this celebration. As a transparent, self-reflective, work-in-progress Manifesta 10 will provide an innovative platform for the State Hermitage Museum and Manifesta. The primary venue of Manifesta 10 will be the General Staff Building, a new location within the State Hermitage Museum complex dedicated to modern and contemporary art. Other venues will be announced later this year.
Manifesta curators in the past were: Manifesta 1: Katalyn Neray (Budapest), Rosa Martinez (Barcelona), Viktor Misiano (Moscow), Andrew Renton (London), Hans Ulrich Obrist (Paris/Zurich), Manifesta 2: Robert Fleck (Paris/Vienna), Maria Lind (Stockholm), Barbara Vanderlinden (Brussels), Manifesta 3: Francesco Bonami (Chicago, Turin), Ole Bouman (Rotterdam), Maria Hlavajová (Amsterdam, Bratislava), Kathrin Rhomberg (Vienna), Manifesta 4: Iara Boubnova (Sofia), Nuria Enguita Mayo (Barcelona), Stephanie Moisdon – Trembley (Paris), Manifesta 5: Massimiliano Gioni (Milan / New York), Marta Kuzma (Kiev / New York), Manifesta 6: Mai Abu ElDahab (Cairo), Anton Vidokle (New York), Florian Waldvogel (Germany), Manifesta 7: Adam Budak (Krakow/Graz), Anselm Franke (Antwerp/Berlin), Hila Peleg (Berlin), Raqs Media Collective (New Dehli), Manifesta 8: Alexandria Contemporary Arts Forum (ACAF), Chamber of Public Secrets (CPS), tranzit.org, Manifesta 9: Cuauhtemoc Medina (Mexico), Katerina Gregos (Greece/Belgium) Dawn Ades (UK).
Photo: The official signing of the M10 Curatorial Contract. Photo: Zorina Myskova, Courtesy Manifesta