The Venice biennale is back! It’s hard to describe in words the joy and excitement of encountering large-scale, high standard tactile art
This is the 59th edition of the Venice biennale, the oldest and most prestigious art event in the world. It transforms the whole of Venice into a festival of contemporary art, showcasing the best artists in the world. This includes not only the two Biennale venues – the Giardini Gardens and the Arsenal complex – but also museums and palazzo buildings throughout the city and even churches, that are hosting exhibitions. The contrast between the classic architecture and the contemporary art, intensifies the experience. It’s never just the ‘what’ you see but also the context of display that contributes to the magic of the Venice biennale.
It has been three years since the previous Biennale. Way back in May 2019, curator Ralph Rogoff coined the title of the previous Biennale: “May you Live in Interesting Times”. Who would have believed that this title would become a prophecy that fulfilled itself and that the world would enter a pandemic that caused the Biennale to be postponed for a year.
The milk of dreams
At the heart of the Biennale is the central exhibition, which sets the tone for the entire event. This years curator is Cecilia Alemani, who’s day job is curator of the New York highline park. As the fifth woman to curate the show in the history of the Biennale and the first Italian woman, Alemani has introduced two major features, for the first time: 90 percent of the 213 artists in her show are women, out of which 44 percent are no longer with us. This sets an historic backdrop for the contemporary art on show, centred around Alemani’s chosen theme for the 2022 Biennale – “The milk of dreams”. The title is borrowed from a children’s book by surrealist artist and author Leonora Carrington (1917-2011). In contrast to the previous, rather depressing Biennale, Alemani draws from Surrealistic ideas of imaginative connections in a world that is constantly renewed and allows for change and transformation.
Respecting minorities
The other axis of the biennale is the national pavilions. There are 80 countries participating this year and it is especially interesting and noteworthy to see indigenous minorities representing countries. The Nordic pavilion has become the Sami pavilion – the Scandinavian nomads, that are in constant struggle to maintain lands and their herds of reindeers. The other community that is beautifully represented by the Polish pavilion are the Roma people – the European gypsies, the largest minority in the continent. New Zealand highlights the Fa’afafine community – the third gender, originated in Samoa. With all the cynicism regarding the relevance of national representations intros global era, IMO it’s interesting to discover other cultures.
Black women artists rise
We also see in this biennale much respect for black women artists such as the American Simone Leigh and the British Sonia Boyce – both won the gold medals for this edition. Simone Leigh transformed the exterior of the neoclassical American pavilion into an African hut. The building was originally inspired by the home of Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States, who employed black slaves. Outside and inside the pavilion she has placed large sculptures, which represent African culture. Quite a brilliant move.
Tactility
After spending so much time behind screens during the pandemic, it’s refreshing to see the life size physical art on show in the Biennale and beyond. There are many three dimensional works and much representation of textile, ceramics, paintings and sculpture.
The most impressive exhibition in Venice is by Anselm Kiefer, which is displayed in a huge hall in Palazzo Ducale – the Doge’s Palace – the ancient ruler of the Republic of Venice. The display of a contemporary artist in one of Venice’s most revered historic and cultural venues is a marvel in itself. Kiefer covered all the walls from the decorated ceiling to the floor with rich works, assemblages that contain elements such as supermarket trollies and a ladder. This, for me, is an unforgettable artistic experience, worth a trip to Venice, as no photos can capture the experience of actually being in the room. I am lucky to see it again and again with the groups I guide in Venice.
And so much more…
So much more to see in Venice 2022. The amazing Surrealist exhibition at the Peggy Guggenheim museum, Kehinde Wiley at Fondazione Cini, Marlene Dumas at Palazzo Grassi, Anish Kapoor at the Academia, to name but a few of my favourites.
I hope you will consider allowing me to be your guide in my October tours.
