The Venice Biennale arrives, returning for its 60th edition. Thousands of people will flock to the Italian city for the opening of one of the most prestigious events in the art world, barring a few interruptions, since 1895. When it closes at the end of November, more than 800,000 people are likely to have attended (if the year’s record figures past are some indication). Prizes will also be awarded and new stars in contemporary art will be identified. Although the Venice Biennale is one of the most well-known in the world, filled with a rich history and an attractive myth, it has also seen a number of changes since it began. The 60th edition will be on public view from April 20 to November 24.
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Below are answers to some frequently asked questions.
What is the Venice Biennale?
Dubbed “the Olympics of the art world”, the Venice Biennale is an international art festival that now consists of three parts: 1) a central exhibition organized by an artistic director in the central pavilion of the public gardens (also known as the Giardini) and former shipyards (also known as Arsenale); 2) a series of national pavilions organized by dozens of countries offering a show by one or more artists; and 3) independently organized, but officially approved, exhibitions known as collateral events.
In addition, there are other exhibitions and events planned to coincide with the Biennale that, in fact, are not officially attached. This can include shows performed by the artists themselves, the museums and foundations of the city or commercial galleries. There are also performances, panels, screenings, dinners and parties that bring the city’s art to life.
Who is in charge?
The organization of the Biennale, which manages activities in art, architecture, film, dance, music and theater, is overseen by the current president and right-wing journalist Pietrangelo Buttafuoco. Each Biennale a new artistic director is chosen to curate the central exhibition. This practice began in 1980 with the legendary Swiss curator Harald Szeemann, who repeated the role in 1999 and 2001. Only three Biennales have been organized by women and only one African curator so far.
The curator of this year’s edition is Adriano Pedroso, artistic director of the São Paulo Art Museum in Brazil, presents “Foreigners Everywhere”. The first Latin American curator in the Biennale’s 130-year history, the title is a provocation aimed at a wave of anti-immigrant agendas in Italy, Hungary, the United States and other countries in recent years.
What are the origins of the Biennale?
On April 21, 1868, King Umberto I of Italy married Margherita of Savoy. Almost 25 years later, the Venice city government honored the couple’s silver anniversary by establishing a biennial national art exhibition and orphanage on April 19, 1893. This era of major international art and trade exhibitions in Europe can be traced back to , however, to the great art exhibitions of the 18th century. The inspiration for the organizers of the Biennale, however, was a national art exhibition held in Venice in 1887.
The inaugural Biennial took place with the assistance of King Umberto and Queen Margherita on April 30, 1895. The first iteration had 516 works, with 188 Italians and the rest foreigners. In addition to Italy, there were artists from 14 nations, along with a selection of works previously presented and approved by a jury. With approximately 225,000 attendees, the Biennale has quickly established itself as a vital source of tourism and commerce.
Why this year’s Biennale is identified as the 60th edition when it started in 1895?
Although the Biennale usually occurs every two years, there have been changes to the schedule over the years due to extraordinary circumstances. In 1916 and 1918, the show was suspended due to the First World War. The Second World War also prevented editions in 1944 and 1946. In 1974, there were related activities, but the show was dedicated in solidarity with Chile, which saw a coup that put General Augusto Pinochet in power the previous year. Therefore, it has not been assigned an official number. (It should be noted that the Chilean show was supported by the Italian Communist Party, which had influence on the Biennale committee.)
While the Biennale hasn’t seen that kind of solidarity since Chile, later iterations of the festival have adopted this concept of selecting a unifying theme. The numbering resumed with the 37th edition in 1976, which considered “environment, participation, cultural structures”.
Were there Biennales held during the Second World War?
Although some nations withdrew in the years leading up to the war (the United States, the Soviet Union, and Great Britain boycotted in 1936, for example, because of the political situation in Italy), the Biennale continued through the 1942 edition.
If the Biennale started in the odd year 1895, why have there been some even editions in the past?
From the ninth edition in 1910, the Biennale went to even years. Although a show was still held in 1909. This move was intended to prevent a large art exhibition planned in Rome in 1911 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the unification of Italy, with the aim of avoiding a large overlap between the two events. There was a three-year hiatus after the 1990 Biennale, after which the show re-debuted in odd-numbered years so that the centenary edition could be held in 1995. With the onslaught of the global Covid-19 pandemic, the 2021 edition was postponed to 2022 .
How many nations will present work at this year’s Biennale?
This year’s edition saw a substantial increase with works by 331 artists, including Kay WalkingStick, Lauren Halsey and Samia Halaby, out of the 213 artists in the 2022 edition.
The Central pavilion will focus on the “queer artist”, “the foreign artist”, “the folk artist” and “the indigenous artist”. On the front of the hall, the Indíxena Movimento dos Artistas Huni Kuin (MAHKU) collective from Brazil will paint a mural, while the four-woman collective Māori Mataaho from New Zealand will create an installation in the first room of the building. A large part of the pavilion is dedicated to LGBTQ+ artists, with a special display of queer abstraction.
What are national flags?
Biennale organizers encouraged countries to participate with their own pavilions to create shows. Each nation is responsible for the construction, maintenance and programming costs of its respective pavilion.
Belgium was the first to participate with an inaugural pavilion in 1907. Germany, Great Britain and Hungary joined the ranks in 1909. The United States joined in 1930 for the ninth national pavilion. Since the Giardini is filled with only 30 pavilions, other countries began to show at the Arsenale and other venues in the city. In 1995, South Korea was the last country to build a pavilion in the Giardini.
How did the US pavilion come about?
The US Pavilion is different because it wasn’t actually started by the government. Instead, the effort was carried out by the Grand Central Art Galleries in New York. The three-room Palladian-style structure opened in 1930, where it remains today. In 1954, the Museum of Modern Art purchased the pavilion, which sold it to the Guggenheim Foundation in 1986.
How are the artists selected?
The artistic director selects artists for the central show. For the pavilions, each country makes its own choices, ideally in line with the theme of the Biennale.
In the United States, for example, the Advisory Committee on International Exhibitions, a group of experts assembled by the National Endowment for the Arts in an agreement with the US State Department, chooses among the proposals submitted by various institutions. Jeffrey Gibson will represent the United States at the 2024 Venice Biennale, marking the first time in more than 90 years that an indigenous artist has presented a solo presentation with the United States Pavilion.
What awards does the Biennale give?
Three main awards: a Golden Lion for the best national participation, a Golden Lion for the best participant in the main show and a Silver Lion for the most promising new participant in the main show, will be awarded by an international jury of curators who follow the festivities of inauguration Two special mentions can also be awarded to artists in the main show. A special mention may be awarded to a participating nation. In addition, the artistic director proposes the Golden Lion to Trajectory, which is confirmed with the Biennale board before the opening of the exhibition. This last award went to Anna Maria Maiolino and Nil Yalter this year.
The history of the awards is somewhat muddy. Between 1968 and 1986 there were no awards. At certain times, the awards were medium-specific with awards for the best examples of painting and sculpture, for example. During the height of fascism, there was even an award for the best maternity subject. In the early days, the awards came with cash prizes to encourage the participation of great artists. Today, however, the award comes with a lion statue and a sense of pride. The current award structure began in 1986, based on an earlier system from 1938.
Is the Biennale art for sale?
Before 1968, art was available for purchase. The sales office, which kept track of the offerings (for example, 186 sales in the first edition and a peak of 1,209 sales in 1909), was closed. Political changes in the late 1960s and changes around the art trade influenced the decision to stop sales. Art, however, can still be purchased through gallery dealers who represent the artists on view. Often, the works of the most sought-after artists will sell before the exhibition opens.
