Ljiljana Radlovic Our mission was to develop a high quality biennial biennial that invites artists and exhibitors

ART

Controversy surrounding the Düsseldorf Photo Biennale

Ljiljana Radlovic: "Our mission was to develop a high-quality biennial that invites artists and exhibitors.“

25 March 2024

©Artem Zasypalov

25 March 2024: The traditional photo exhibition düsseldorf photo + is being criticised. Signatories are currently being sought for an open letter to the Lord Mayor of the City of Düsseldorf and the debate continues in the media.

Among other things, the organisers are accused of a lack of transparency in the process. There was no open invitation to tender in advance and artists and galleries were not given the opportunity to apply. Many well-known established galleries were not allowed to participate and the website did not contain any information. In addition, the leading curator was also a gallery owner, although the curator of such an event should not have any commercial interests.

We contacted the project manager Ljiljana Radlovic, who organises düsseldorf photo+ together with the artist Pola Sieverding and the gallery owner Rupert Pfab. She only learnt about the accusations against the biennial a fortnight ago in the Rheinische Post.

Although the Biennale is 100 per cent financed by the city, as a private initiative it is not obliged to make an open call. Its mission is to develop a high-quality biennial and only send invitations to selected artists and galleries.

On the düsseldorf photo+ website, there is still only a homepage and an imprint, although the event begins on 17 May. The project manager explains to us in an interview why this is the case and why the organisers hope that their approach will make the Biennale more qualified.

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AM: Ms Radlovic, how did you find out about the allegations?

Ljiljana Radlovic: On 7 March, we learned via the RP that there was an open letter. We then got in touch with the newspaper, as some things were not true. The newspaper then published a reaction from Rupert Pfab. A week later, we learnt from the cultural department that a letter had been sent to the head of the cultural department and the Lord Mayor with a petition for signatures. Originally there were seven signatories, but this circle has since grown.

Will the Lord Mayor comment on this?

We have spoken to the head of the cultural department and issued a statement on the points of criticism.

Is it about the funding of 200,000 euros?

The Rheinische Post wrote that we had received 250,000 euros, but it was actually 200,000 euros. We were accused of "secrecy" because we had not yet published the participants. That's not true, because the first participants, who had been finalised by then, were already named in a press release in mid-December 2023.

And the accusation that there was no Open Call?

The Biennale was never conceived as an open call. The Kunstpunkte would be an example of an open call. Similar to the Asphalt Festival, we set priorities in terms of content and make a corresponding selection. That's also how we started in 2020, without being criticised for it at the time. Our task is to realise a high-quality biennial that is fundamentally open to different artists and galleries. In all three editions of the Biennale, we have accepted the proposals that fit the programme. The thematic and content-related reference is decisive for us.

But it seems that very renowned galleries have also been excluded?

As in previous years, many galleries, project spaces and institutions are on board in 2024, but for reasons of content, we have also decided not to include individual projects after detailed discussion. This edition of the Biennale revolves around the concept of medially mediated reality with a view to analogue, digital and AI-based photography. It also includes the position of one of the signatories of the open letter. As a biennial with a thematic focus, we cannot represent the entirety of Düsseldorf's diverse photography scene. That would be a fundamentally different concept. You can argue about who is renowned among the participants and who is not, but we are committed to content and want to offer photography, artistic film and sound art a platform.

The website now gives no information at all two months in advance.

We are basically dependent on the allocation of funds and the budget for the current edition was approved in December 2023. For legal reasons, contracts can only be awarded afterwards. As we are planning an extensive redesign of the düsseldorf photo+ website, it will take time to implement. We therefore ask for your patience.

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