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Article: Mending the breach: with the title "Poetic Justice," the latest Istanbul Biennial signaled its interest in reconciling self-expression and politics. For the first time, the exhibition sites included the Byzantine splendor of the Hagia Sophia.
- Article from:
- Art in America
- Article date:
- December 1, 2003
- Author:
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At first, glance, the title of the eighth Istanbul Biennial, "Poetic Justice," seemed to be one of those open-ended, important-sounding phrases that curators of international biennials like because they are malleable enough to fit almost any selection of works. A closer look at the show, presented this fall at various venues throughout that city, made it clear that the title was meant to set a challenge of sorts. In common parlance, the term "poetic justice" has an ironic cast, suggesting a cosmic or even divinely inspired reordering of relationships that ordinary human justice has failed to properly address. In the context of the exhibition, it seemed to refer to ...