This review explores the curatorial approach of the 13th Berlin Biennale through the lens of “cuteness” as a subtle yet potent political tool. Rather than relying on overt statements or monumental gestures, the exhibition adopts a soft, affective strategy—where irony, vulnerability, and humor become means of resistance. From Han Bing’s performative Walking the Cabbage to curatorial tactics likened to “foxing,” the text reflects on how gentleness and aesthetic dissonance can infiltrate dominant narratives and reframe institutional critique. A nuanced look at how cuteness can disarm, disrupt, and reconfigure the space of contemporary art.
TEXT: Sofia Baldi Pighi
The Power of Cute: Review of the 13th Berlin Biennale
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Article, Review
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DATES
Septemper2025
The Power
of Cute: Review of the 13th Berlin Biennale
ARTICLESofia Baldi Pighi
This review explores the curatorial approach of the 13th Berlin Biennale through the lens of “cuteness” as a subtle yet potent political tool. Rather than relying on overt statements or monumental gestures, the exhibition adopts a soft, affective strategy—where irony, vulnerability, and humor become means of resistance. From Han Bing’s performative Walking the Cabbage to curatorial tactics likened to “foxing,” the text reflects on how gentleness and aesthetic dissonance can infiltrate dominant narratives and reframe institutional critique. A nuanced look at how cuteness can disarm, disrupt, and reconfigure the space of contemporary art.