The 54th International Art Exhibition of the Venice Biennale is already open to general public; a boring, lacking of true quality and sometimes chaotic Biennale, under the direction of art historian and critic Bice Curiger. Thus, the Biennale is consistent with the general state of the city, very precarious; but for tourists and for those whose stay is only for a few days, it appears as full of "bright colors" and glamor (yachts, cocktails, inaugurations and VIPs everywhere).
The Preview (for the Press and VIPs) was held from 1 to 3 June; lucky all the rest of the mortals that will visit it -without endless lines and tons of people around- until November 27, 2011
HUMA3 has followed the Biennale full path (inside and outside the Giardini-Arsenale circuit), taking photographs and filming each and every pavilion as well as many of the events in the city. Until now, we have been publishing many news and notes on the Biennale, that you can easily find through our own search engine, searching "Biennale 2011" and selecting on the right "NEWS ", "EVENTS "or "REVIEWS"). Throughout the year and until the end of the Biennale, we will continue to add comprehensive articles for you to explore each pavilion and the collateral events.
ILLUMInazioni - ILLUMInations is really big in numbers this year: 82 artists from all over the world, plus 87 National Participations housed in the historical pavilions in the Giardini, Arsenale and other locations around the city. Also, some countries are participating for the very first time, as Andorra, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Haiti; and other countries are returning after a period of absence: India (1982), Congo (1968), Iraq (1990), Zimbabwe (1990), South Africa (1995), Costa Rica (1993, afterward with IILA), Cuba (1995, afterward with IILA). And there is more: at least 40 Collateral Events arranged by international organizations and institutions in various locations around the city on the occasion of the Biennale.
We'd like also to mention the particular choice made by Bice Curiger regarding the exhibition -at the Palazzo delle Esposizioni (ex Italia Pavilion, Giardini)- three masterworks by the Venetian painter Jacopo Robusti, known as Tintoretto (1518-1594), as "part" of the Biennale. We'd like to remind you that those three magnificent canvases can be normally seen in the city of Venice, outside the Biennale environement and in their true "houses": The Last Supper, inside the Basilica di San Giorgio Maggiore Basilica, and The Stealing of the Dead Body of St. Mark and the Creation of the Animals, at Gallerie dell'Accademia.
We invite you to keep reading throughout the year all the news and reviews about the (still) most famous Biennial in the world.
Meanwhile, here are some useful links:
Venice Biennial 2011: Golden Lions
Some of the National Participations
Further information ILLUMinazioni
