Cultural Impact of Art Biennials

Christian Oxenius joined the ICC in November 2012, undertaking doctoral research on the cultural impact of art biennials. The research uses Foucault’s idea of heterotopic spaces and Deleuze’s concept of assemblage as the guiding theories to interpret the role of these recurring temporary cultural events in cities. The study will focus on their role as knowledge production site forming a global assemblage with particular attention to their influence in the cultural public sphere. Aspects such as institutionalization, the role of global cultural geo-politics in relation to the local and the modes of production of the event’s space will be analysed in a number of case studies

Furthermore, as part of his current research, Christian has been involved directly in the organization of the 2013 Athens Biennale as part of an international group of artists, curators and practitioners under the name of Agora. This experience directly informed the research as well as allowing him to test some of his assumption directly in a reflective manner.

 Christian’s academic background in urban studies as well as his experience in the art market as assistant to an important collector in London guide him in an interdisciplinary research linking spatial and non-spatial aspects of contemporary cultural policy and politics.

His previous experiences include strategic development in a number of European countries, a brief experience as assistant lecturer at the Politecnico di Milano, organization of grass-root cultural activities as a form of public participation in urban planning in Milan and on-going collaboration with a number of online publications in related fields.