Venice Biennale 2024 Main Exhibition Showcases Exuberant Paintings and Harmonious Sculptures

The 60th Venice Biennale, titled 'Foreigners Everywhere,' opened to the public on April 20, 2024, featuring an impressive collection of exuberant paintings and harmonious, formally satisfying sculptures in the Central Pavilion and the Arsenale. The main exhibition, curated by Brazilian artistic director Adriano Pedrosa, includes over 300 artists from various countries, aiming to evoke a sense of being a 'foreigner' and encourage visitors to engage with unfamiliar experiences.

The artworks showcase a range of styles and mediums, with notable contributions from artists such as Ione Saldanha, Kay WalkingStick, Dana Awartani, Kiluanji Kia Henda, Bouchra Khalili, Sabelo Mlangeni, Claire Fontaine, Julien Creuzet, Yael Bartana, Ersan Mondtag, CATPC (Philoméne Lembusa), and Jeffrey Gibson. The exhibition examines themes of colonialism, decolonization, and the relationship between art institutions and marginalized communities.

Why this matters: The Venice Biennale is one of the most prestigious international art exhibitions, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors from around the world. The 2024 edition's focus on diversity and inclusion reflects the growing recognition of the need for greater representation of underrepresented voices in the art world.

Several national pavilions use their spaces to address critical issues. Glicéria Tupinambá from Brazil and Sandra Gamarra from Spain focus on the repatriation of cultural objects and the representation of Indigenous voices in Western art spaces. Puerto Rico-born artist Pablo Delano's installation 'The Museum of the Old Colony 2024' stands out as a powerful denunciation of the United States' exploitation of Puerto Rico.

The Biennale also features numerous collateral exhibitions across Venice, including the unveiling of Titian's recently restored masterpiece, the 'Assunta' or 'Assumption of the Virgin,' at the Basilica di Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari. The four-year restoration project was funded by the charity Save Venice.

Curator Adriano Pedrosa described the Biennale as an effort to expand the canon and the purview of the art world, stating, "The exhibition aims to offer new perspectives and invite visitors to explore something new from different corners of the world." The 60th Venice Biennale runs until November 24, 2024, and is expected to draw significant crowds as one of the first major international art events since the easing of global travel restrictions.

Key Takeaways

• 60th Venice Biennale titled 'Foreigners Everywhere' opened on April 20, 2024.
• Exhibition curated by Brazilian director Adriano Pedrosa, featuring over 300 artists.
• Themes explore colonialism, decolonization, and marginalized communities in the art world.
• National pavilions address repatriation of cultural objects and Indigenous representation.
• Biennale expected to draw large crowds after easing of global travel restrictions.