Manifesta, Art, Society and Politics - by Erdem Çolak (Paperback)

About the Book

Revision of the author's thesis (doctoral)--University of Amsterdam, 2021, under the title: Creating a new Europe through contemporary art: Manifesta and its relation to art, society and politics.

Book Synopsis

This is the first monograph fully dedicated to critically investigating the political, economic, artistic, urban, and societal relationships of Manifesta - European Biennial of Contemporary Art, a European nomadic biennial initiated in the post-Cold War era. Despite being one of the most important recurrent exhibitions taking place in Europe, surprisingly little has been written about it since the mid-2000s, Manifesta, Art, Society and Politics provides a deeply-researched and engaging analysis of the the critically overlooked Manifesta exhibitions, as well as it's changing goals and discourse since the first edition in 1996.

The book is split into four parts, divided by theme and following the exhibitions chronologically. Providing a comprehensive overview of one of the most important biennials in Europe, Manifesta, Art, Society and Politics investigates the relationship between large-scale art exhibitions, culture-led regeneration, and urban transformation. It is essential reading for students and researches of exhibition and curatorial studies, art history, and cultural studies.

Review Quotes

"Adopting a convincing interdisciplinary methodology, Erdem ?olak provides a meticulously researched evaluation of Manifesta. With great authority and insight, he navigates not only the fault-lines of an emergent 'new Europe' as place but also the place of art within that continuing process." --Nicolas Whybrow, Emeritus Professor of Urban Performance Studies, University of Warwick, UK

"We've waited nearly twenty years for a newly dedicated exploration of Manifesta and how it reshaped the terrain of contemporary art in Europe. Çolak fills that gap with a book at once critical and caring of this landmark institution, and a timely exploration of biennial culture since the 1990s." --Anthony Gardner, Professor of Contemporary Art History, University of Oxford, UK

"Pulling back the curtain on Manifesta, political scientist Erdem Çolak offers a clear-eyed, data-driven dive into the show's "art-politics-commerce triangle" over time. The author makes a compelling argument for Manifesta as a carrier of neoliberal consensus - defining European-ness through scaled effects, as individual artworks, curatorial solidarities, and urban alterations leave their mark on the future." --Caroline A. Jones, Associate Dean, MIT School of Architecture and Planning, USA, and author of The Global Work of Art (2016)

About the Author

Erdem Çolak is an artist and a lecturer in the Department of Political Science and Public Administration at Middle East Technical University, Turkey.