Artnet News editors compiled a list of the worst artworks they encountered in 2022, including a chaotic performance by Poncili Creación at NADA Miami, an overproduced Danish Pavilion installation by Uffe Isolotto at the Venice Biennale, and a Paul Cézanne painting at the Barnes Foundation that disappointed a critic. The article offers subjective, critical takes on these works, describing the NADA performance as bizarre and jolting, the Danish pavilion as graphic and lacking a powerful message, and the Cézanne as a disappointment within an otherwise memorable museum visit.
This article matters because it demonstrates that art criticism remains alive and engaged, even in a media landscape often focused on positive coverage. By highlighting works that missed the mark, the editors encourage debate about artistic intent, execution, and the role of taste in evaluating contemporary and historical art. It also reflects broader conversations about spectacle, funding, and the limits of hyperrealism in biennial contexts.