Highlights to Explore at the Venice Biennale 2024

Highlights to Explore at the Venice Biennale 2024

October 3, 2024

The Venice Biennale 2024 promises to continue its tradition of presenting cutting-edge contemporary art while addressing pressing global issues. Whether you are an avid art lover or a curious traveler, here is a guide to help you navigate the highlights and must-see exhibitions. Curated by Adriano Pedrosa, a Brazilian curator renowned for his innovative and thought-provoking exhibitions, this year’s theme is rooted in exploring how art intersects with politics, identity, and the planet’s fragile state.

 

 

The 60th International Art Exhibition, titled Stranieri Ovunque – Foreigners Everywhere, is open to the public from April 20 to November 24, 2024, at the Giardini and the Arsenale. Since 2021, the Venice Biennale has launched a plan to reconsider all of its activities in light of recognized and consolidated principles of environmental sustainability. For the year 2024, the goal is to extend the achievement of “carbon neutrality” certification, which was obtained in 2023 for the Biennale’s scheduled activities: the 80th Venice International Film Festival, the Theatre, Music and Dance Festivals and, in particular, the 18th International Architecture Exhibition, which was the first major Exhibition in this discipline to test in the field a tangible process for achieving carbon neutrality – while furthermore itself reflecting upon the themes of decolonisation and decarbonisation.

The Exhibition also includes 86 National Participations in the historic Pavilions at the Giardini, at the Arsenale and in the city center of Venice. 4 countries are participating for the first time at the Biennale Arte: Republic of Benin, Ethiopia, United Republic of Tanzania, Democratic Republic of Timor Leste. Nicaragua, Republic of Panama and Senegal participate for the first time with their own pavilion. The Italian Pavilion at the Tese delle Vergini in the Arsenale, sponsored and promoted by the Directorate-General for Contemporary Creativity of the Ministry of Culture, is curated by Luca Cerizza. The project Due qui / To hear by the artist Massimo Bartolini includes contributions specifically created by musicians and writers. The Holy See Pavilion, promoted by the Prefect of the Dicastery for Culture and Education of the Holy See, Cardinal José Tolentino de Mendonça, takes place this year in the women’s prison in Venice at the Giudecca island. The exhibition, entitled With my eyes, is curated by Chiara Parisi and Bruno Racine. The City of Venice participates with its own pavilion, the Venice Pavilion, at the Giardini of Sant’Elena.

The selected projects for the 2nd edition of Biennale College Arte 2023/24 are by Agnes Questionmark, Joyce Joumaa, Sandra Poulson and Nazira Karimi. The 4 artists receive a grant of 25,000 euros for the realization of the final work. The artworks are presented, out of competition, as part of the 60th International Art Exhibition. Over 150 young emerging artists under 30 from 37 countries around the world have joined the call for participation.

The Golden Lions for Lifetime Achievement were awarded to The Italian-born Brazilian artist Anna Maria Maiolino and the Paris-based Turkish artist Nil Yalter during the Biennale Arte 2024 awards and inauguration ceremony, that was held on 20th April, 2024 at Ca’ Giustinian, the headquarters of the Venice Biennale.

 

What To See At Venice Biennale 2024

“Willem de Kooning e l’Italia” — Willem de Kooning

“A Journey to the Infinite” — Yoo Youngkuk

“Locks with Leaves and Swelling Buds” — Ewa Juszkiewicz

“Neither Nor” — Ai Weiwei

“The Arch within the Arc” — Rick Lowe