A critic's visit to the 36th Bienal de São Paulo led to a pointed critique of the exhibition's didactic strategy. The show, curated by Bonaventure Soh Bejeng Ndikung, featured floor-mounted placards with QR codes, poorly placed basic labels, and extremely lengthy omnibus section texts, creating a frustrating experience that oscillated between providing too little and too much information.
The article matters because it engages in a central, ongoing debate in contemporary art about the purpose and politics of museum wall texts. It connects the São Paulo experience to recent criticism of the 2024 Whitney Biennial's labels, framing the discussion around curatorial authority, accessibility, and whether excessive or poorly designed didactics alienate viewers and detract from the art itself. The piece questions if experimental label strategies truly serve democratic ideals or simply create new barriers.