Egyptian Pavilion Draws Crowds at 2024 Venice Biennale

The Egyptian pavilion at the 2024 Venice Art Biennale, titled 'Foreigners Everywhere,' has attracted large crowds and long queues, generating significant buzz and interest. The biennale's curator, Adriano Pedrosa, has chosen to highlight underrepresented artists and art histories, including those from the Global South, indigenous artists, and queer artists.

The Egyptian pavilion, represented by artist Wael Shawky, features a filmed rendition of an original musical play exploring Egypt's nationalist Urabi revolution in the 19th century against imperial and colonial influence. The 45-minute film, titled 'Drama 1882,' fuses fact, fiction, and fable while exploring national, religious, and artistic themes.

The use of photography is notable in the Egyptian pavilion and throughout the biennale. Photography is seen as a medium that can effectively translate overlooked, often postcolonial experiences to audiences through participatory or archival practices. Key examples include Pablo Delano's 'The Museum of the Old Colony,' which uses documentary photographs and ephemera to explore the US's exploitation of Puerto Rico, and Nil Yalter's 'Exile is a Hard Job,' which pairs photographic posters with video documenting immigrant experiences.

Why this matters: The strong interest in the Egyptian pavilion and contemporary Arab art at the 2024 Venice Biennale reflects a growing appreciation for diverse perspectives and underrepresented voices in the global art world. The biennale's focus on 'Foreigners Everywhere' highlights the universal sense of displacement and the importance of giving space and visibility to previously marginalized groups.

The biennale is also a site of fraught geopolitics, with Russia not participating due to the war in Ukraine and some artists protesting their state-sponsored exhibitions. Despite these tensions, the 2024 Venice Art Biennale is generating significant attention for its inclusive representation of the art world's 'foreigners.' Shawky's film and the innovative pairings of image and object in national pavilions encourage viewers to engage with the art in a more immersive way and consider the complex histories and experiences it represents.

Key Takeaways

• Egyptian pavilion at 2024 Venice Biennale titled 'Foreigners Everywhere'.
• Curator Adriano Pedrosa highlights underrepresented artists, including Global South, indigenous, and queer.
• Egyptian pavilion features a filmed musical play exploring 19th-century Urabi revolution.
• Photography used to translate overlooked, postcolonial experiences to audiences.
• Biennale's focus on 'Foreigners Everywhere' reflects growing appreciation for diverse perspectives.