This exhibition invites visitors to reflect on factors which play a role in art and influence how it is perceived and valued. Is the gender of the artist also a factor? How does the chromosome of art make its presence felt?

This question can be combined with a current occasion: 2017 sees the 80th anniversary of the opening of the Haus der Kunst, as well as the first Große Deutsche Kunstausstellung (Great German Art Exhibition). At that time no female artists were included at all.

Despite debates in recent decades, the issue of gender and the arts still seems to be relevant. What significance do genres, materials and techniques have in the attribution of maleness and femaleness? The experience of a work is usually disputed by the gender codes of its authorship.

This exhibition brings the viewer in a tête-à-tête encounter with the work of art and its sensual, physical presence. Some works explicitly portray a particular gender and its associated roles and take a playful approach with ascriptions, idealised images and maskings. Others are more associative in their approach to the issues. An interest in physicality and identity is consistently present. The biennale welcomes special guest artists from the Netherlands, curated by Alex de Vries.