Manifesta purposely strives to keep its distance from what are often seen as the dominant centres of artistic production, instead seeking fresh and fertile terrain for the mapping of a new cultural topography.
Ali Cherri, Tiger fed by a Raven after Giovanni Lanfranco’s Elijah fed by a Raven (1624 – 1625), 2020 © Manifesta 13 / Jean Christophe Lett.
This project drew on the tradition of erecting totem poles at the gates of certain communities. Using figures inspired by the animal kingdom, the aquatic world and imaginary hybrid beasts, The Gatekeepers by Lebanese artist Ali Cherri welcomed visitors to the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Marseille and offered a tribute to the souls of all the animals lodged in the Musée d’Histoire Naturelle, only a few steps away.