It's 2013 and Adam Szymczyk, one of the most radical curators on the international scene, is called to direct the most important contemporary art exhibition in the world. Szymczyk and his team move the exhibition outside the borders of Kassel, in Athens, mostly because of its clearly antagonistic relationship with German (and Western European – U.S. American) neoliberal politics. Their curatorial approach takes the exhibition to a breaking point never seen before, especially in relation to institutions and politics.

With this book, published five years after the exhibition, Pierre Bal-Blanc finally rereads, in a complete and lucid way, that historical passage in the light of its "scandal," and he does so from a privileged position, namely that of one of the curators who accompanied Adam Szymczyk's artistic direction, together with curators Hendrik Folkerts, Candice Hopkins, Hila Peleg, Dieter Roelstraete, Bonaventure Ndikung, Monika Szewczyk, advisors Marina Fokidis, Natasha Ginwala, Erzen Shkololli, Elena Sorokina, Paolo Thorsen-Nagel, Quinn Latimer, Katerina Tselou, Andrea Linnenkohl, Ayse Güleç, and educators and public program Paul B. Preciado, Sepake Angiama, Arnisa Zeqo and Clare Butcher.

The long and in-depth essay is an articulate ex-post reflection that traces the events from a critical standpoint. As in a diary, Bal-Blanc tells us about his direct experience, overturning the dominant perspective, and offering a new and personal vision not only of the artistic choices, but also of the political and social dynamics that followed. The book concludes with an extensive and thought-provoking conversation between the artistic director of Documenta, Adam Szymczyk, and Dorota Sajewska.

Andrea Bellini, Pierre Bal-Blanc, Adam Szymczyk, Dorota Sajewsk

Nero, Centre d'Art Contemporain Genève, 2022

22 X 14 cm, 180 pages