THE ORACLE: A Curatorial Diary from LJ by Chus Martínez. Mousse. Series from December 6, 2024 through June 6, 2025.
The 36th Ljubljana Biennale of Graphic Arts, 6. 6. ? 12. 10. 2025
Hanlu Zhang’s review in ArtForum.
The 36th Ljubljana Biennale of Graphic Arts develops through two symbolically complementary images. At the forefront is a simple, striking title that evokes magic, imagination, and fantasy: “The Oracle.” Alongside it stands the figure of the puppet, which pays homage to Žogica Marogica (Speckles the Ball), a beloved Slovenian puppet character from the 1950s. This image animates conversations around power, control, and autonomy. The interplay between the two symbols articulates a view of the politics of art that, while not entirely new, feels renewed in today’s context. Yet it’s not without its risks.
The Biennale reiterates an ancient belief that artists wield a divine power to bring new worlds into being. Goddesses, ghosts, robots, human/animal hybrids, and of course puppets populate the exhibition. The puppets especially enchant. However, by the fourth or fifth encounter—especially when they appear in different works sharing the same space—the spell begins to wear thin. Also potent throughout the show is the power of words, the practice of the oracular voice. Beyond an abundance of curatorial texts, banners bearing verses by Slovenian poet Svetlana Makarovi? punctuate each venue, adding texture to the exhibition’s linguistic terrain.
In another dream, I was a field
and you combed through me
searching for something
you only thought you had lost.
~
What have we left at the altar of sorrow?
What blessed thing will we leave tomorrow?
Omens, Cecilia Llompart
