“Art can confront the strangeness and inequalities of societies and spin them back on themselves.” —Sean Burns
In the September issue of frieze, assistant editor Sean Burns profiles Marlene Dumas as she prepares for her show at Frith Street Gallery, London. Plus, an extensive oral history on Bidoun, a magazine offering perspectives in and of the Middle East and the Arab Diaspora.
Profile: Sean Burns on Marlene Dumas
“Dumas toys with notions of agency over self-image: who has control and who doesn’t.” Sean Burns pens a tribute to the artist’s psychological portraits, in which she probes the power—and horror—of found imagery.
Oral History: Bidoun magazine
“There was this embrace of the idea that we didn’t all have to think the same way and that was fundamental to the mission.” Through the voices of the magazine founders, editors and contributors, this oral history delves into Bidoun’s history of showcasing the Arabic-speaking world’s artistic and cultural narratives through humour, angst and experimentation.
Also featuring
Glenn Ligon speaks with senior editor Terence Trouillot about the parallels between his artistic, curatorial and writing practice; Erika Balsom documents her visit to Michael Heizer’s City (1970–2022), a monumental land art sculpture located in the Nevada desert; and Juliet Jacques highlights a wave of artists, filmmakers and writers who address labour conditions and class relations in their work.
Columns: Wordplay
Fernanda Brenner writes on the tenderness and solidarity in José Leonilson’s practice, Rainer Diana Hamilton looks at Kevin Killian’s Amazon reviews, Sydney Baloue shares an excerpt from Marcel Christian LaBeija’s “Idle Sheets” zine on the ABCs of drag ballroom culture, Lara Pawson pens a tribute to Gertrude Stein’s poem “If I Told Him.” Plus, Lara Mimosa Montes talks to Na Mira about translation, animism and her upcoming contribution to the 15th Gwangju Biennial.
Finally, ahead of Matthias Groebel’s presentations at the Gwangju Biennial and Schiefe Zähne, Berlin, Jeppe Ugelvig responds to his 1996 painting Untitled (069). Plus, Glenn Ligon contributes to our series of artists’ “to-do” lists.