Anne Imhof: From Venice Biennale Shock to Fashion Backlash – Is the Artist Dated or Defiant?

Anne Imhof, one of Germany's most important contemporary artists, recently faced criticism for her New York show being described as 'a bad Balenciaga ad'. This comes after her meteoric rise to fame following her Golden Lion-winning performance at the 2017 Venice Biennale, where she transformed the German pavilion into a sinister, S&M-flavoured 'catwalk show from hell' that captivated the art world.

Critical moment … last year’s Doom: House of Hope, which was called 'a bad Balenciaga ad'. Photograph: George Etheredge/New York Times/Redux/eyevine

The Rise and Controversy

Imhof's Faust installation at Venice was groundbreaking, featuring menacing Dobermans, a raised glass floor, and performers in black sportswear that captured the cultural preoccupations of the 2010s – from militarisation of borders to tech surveillance. The work was also designed for Instagram, turning into a phenomenon where audiences created their own edits and iconography.

However, her recent show at New York's Park Avenue Armory, Doom: House of Hope, received mixed to negative reviews. Critics called it 'excessively pessimistic' and 'comically apolitical', marking a shift in perception as the zeitgeist moved on.

Fashion Collaborations and Backlash

Imhof's collaborations with fashion brands like Balenciaga, Burberry, and Nike have sparked debate. She designed a show for Burberry during lockdown and created a special-edition football top for Nike, leading some to question whether she's become too cozy with commercial interests. German newspaper Welt suggested her career serves as a cautionary tale for artists who get into bed with the fashion industry.

In at the deep end … the pool from Fun is a Steel Bath. Photograph: João Morgado

Artistic Philosophy and Response

In response to criticism, Imhof emphasizes that her goal is not to politicise art for profit but to create spaces of shared experience. Her latest exhibition, Fun ist ein Stahlbad (Fun is a Steel Bath) at the Serralves Foundation in Porto, references philosopher Theodor Adorno and features uninviting sculptures like an empty black metal swimming pool and crowd-control barriers. She argues that pessimism can be political and that art should expose the damage in our world.

Imhof also released her debut album WYWG (Wish You Were Gay), blending influences from Genesis P-Orridge to the Velvet Underground. She believes in making art accessible rather than creating an elite bubble, though this approach raises questions about maintaining artistic autonomy while collaborating with commercial entities.

Zebra crossing … a still from a video work for Wish You Were Gay. Photograph: Anne Imhof

Navigating Criticism and Evolution

Imhof views mimicry as a strategy for survival within powerful systems, allowing her to stay alert and critical. She asserts that collaborating with fashion doesn't surrender autonomy, but requires awareness of production conditions and labour treatment. As she adapts to changing cultural landscapes, Imhof continues to challenge boundaries between high art and popular culture, sparking conversations about relevance, commercialisation, and artistic integrity in the contemporary art world.