Manifesta purposely strives to keep its distance from what are often seen as the dominant centres of artistic production, instead seeking fresh and fertile terrain for the mapping of a new cultural topography.
Manifesta 6 was cancelled by the President of the Greek Part of Cyprus
Common Culture, GB
Common Culture (David Campbell, Mark Durden and Ian Brown), The New El Dorado, 2010 © Manifesta 8 / Ilya Rabinovich.
In this video the British collective Common Culture provided a critical reflection on the nature of international art biennials such as Manifesta. They questioned the interventionist impulse at the heart of these events, the commodification at work in the consumption of art, and the efficacy of socially engaged art. Using an episodic narrative, the video explores the theme of national identity within a global context and the efficacy of comedy in mediating social conflict.