Venice Biennale 2024

The 60th International Art Exhibition, titled “Stranieri Ovunque — Foreigners Everywhere,” highlights themes of foreignness and diversity. It invites viewers to explore artworks that interrogate identity, place, and belonging. Curated by Adriano Pedrosa, the exhibition runs from April 20 to November 24, 2024, at the Giardini and the Arsenale, with a pre-opening from April 17-19. With 88 national pavilions and 30 collateral events, the exhibition offers a rich global artistic expression. The participation of four new countries and various unique venues like the women’s prison on Giudecca Island for the Holy See Pavilion, are noteworthy.

A dynamic range of outdoor installations and performances will enrich the visitor experience, especially during the pre-opening and the final weekend. The exhibition’s kickoff on April 20, 2024, will be marked by an awards ceremony and inauguration. 

“Stranieri Ovunque — Foreigners Everywhere,” the title of the 60th International Art Exhibition at La Biennale di Venezia, originates from an initiative in 2004 by the Claire Fontaine collective, based in Paris and Palermo. This project features neon sculptures that display the phrase “Foreigners Everywhere” in an increasing array of languages. This phrase was inspired by a Turin-based collective known for activism against racism and xenophobia in Italy during the early 2000s. 

Adriano Pedrosa, the first South American curator of the Biennale, brings a unique perspective on the topic. According to him, «The expression Stranieri Ovunque has several meanings. First of all, that wherever you go and wherever you are, you will always encounter foreigners — they/we are everywhere. Secondly, that no matter where you find yourself, you are always truly, and deep down inside, a foreigner.» 

The two main sections of the Biennale — Nucleo Contemporaneo and Nucleo Storico — explore the nuanced concept of “foreignness” in various contexts. Nucleo Contemporaneo focuses on contemporary issues and features artists exploring themes of identity, migration, and societal margins. Meanwhile, Nucleo Storico delves into historical narratives, showcasing works from the 20th century that reinterpret global modernisms and their impacts across diverse geographies. 

Nucleo Contemporaneo

The Nucleo Contemporaneo at the Venice Art Biennale 2024 serves as a platform for exploring contemporary social, cultural, and political themes through the lens of art. This section features artists who address issues of otherness and belonging, with a particular focus on marginalized groups, including queer, indigenous, and diasporic communities. Nucleo Contemporaneo invites viewers to reconsider the concept of ‘the stranger’ or ‘the outsider.’ Located at the Central Pavilion and the Corderie, this section will host works by emerging artists who have not previously participated in the Biennale. Exhibits in this section include a variety of mediums and forms, ranging from large-scale installations and neon sculptures to video archives that document the intersection of art and activism. This segment of the Biennale critically examines the diverse and complex identities that define the contemporary human experience.

Nucleo Storico 

Nucleo Storico, the second principal section of the Venice Art Biennale 2024, revisits and reevaluates 20th-century art from Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia to explore global modernism’s diverse interpretations and impacts. This section examines how these geographically and culturally distinct areas have contributed to and altered the mainstream narrative of European modernism. This section includes rooms dedicated to themes such as Portraits, Abstractions, and the Italian diaspora. The artworks presented — from paintings and sculptures to works on paper — highlight the unique and influential perspectives of artists who engaged with modernist expressions while often navigating the complexities of colonial and post-colonial contexts.

Golden Lions at the Venice Biennale Arte 2024

The prestigious Golden Lions for Lifetime Achievement of the 60th International Art Exhibition at La Biennale di Venezia have been awarded to two distinguished artists, Anna Maria Maiolino and Nil Yalter. This award holds special significance since both Anna Maria and Nil’s works emphasize the main theme of the exhibition. This recognition celebrates their significant contributions to the art world as artists who have profoundly influenced the discourse between North and South, Europe and beyond. The ceremony will take place at Ca’ Giustinian on April 20, 2024.

Anna Maria Maiolino, born in Italy and based in São Paulo, Brazil, has been influential in the Brazilian art scene since her migration from Italy via Venezuela. Maiolino’s work spans several decades and mediums, integrating sculpture, installation art, and performance. Her art often explores themes of identity, language, and the human condition, reflecting her experiences of displacement and immigration. For this year’s Biennale, she presents a new large-scale work that extends her exploratory use of clay, emphasizing her connection to organic materials and gestural expressions.

Nil Yalter, born in Cairo and based in Paris, is recognized as a pioneer in the feminist art movement, focusing her work on the immigrant experience and the plight of marginalized communities. Yalter’s eclectic practice incorporates painting, drawing, video, and installation to explore themes of social exclusion, gender, and identity. For the Biennale, she will reintroduce audiences to her acclaimed installation “Exile is a Hard Job” alongside “Topak Ev,” highlighting her innovative approach to narrative and space in addressing the complexities of exile and displacement.

EXHIBITIONS & HIGHLIGHTS

Willem de Kooning Exhibition at the Gallerie dell’Accademia

Opening on April 17, 2024, and running until September 15, 2024, this exhibition explores the profound influence of de Kooning’s visits to Italy in 1959 and 1969 on his later works. Featuring approximately 75 works, this is the most extensive presentation of de Kooning’s art ever organized in Italy, including paintings, drawings, and sculptures from the late 1950s to the 1980s. Curated by Gary Garrels and Mario Codognato, the project delves into how Italy shaped de Kooning’s artistic evolution, particularly highlighting his “Black and White Rome” drawings and a trio of his best-known pastoral landscapes.

Julie Mehretu: Ensemble at Palazzo Grassi 

From March 17, 2024, to January 6, 2025, Palazzo Grassi will host “Ensemble,” the largest exhibition of Julie Mehretu’s work ever presented in Europe. Curated by Caroline Bourgeois in collaboration with Mehretu, this extensive showcase features over fifty works, including paintings and prints created over the last 25 years. The exhibit includes recent pieces from 2021 to 2024 and combines 17 works from the Pinault Collection with loans from international museums and private collectors. In addition, the exhibition consists of works from Julie Mehretu’s closest artist friends, reflecting the deep connections and collaborations that have shaped her over the years.

Ernest Pignon-Ernest “Je Est Un Autre”

At the Espace Louis Vuitton Venezia, from April 20th to November 24th, 2024, the Fondation Louis Vuitton presents “Je Est Un Autre” by French artist Ernest Pignon-Ernest. This exhibition, part of the Fondation’s “Hors-les-murs” program, features Pignon-Ernest’s unique blend of street art and poetic imagery, focusing on the notion of “the foreigner.” The artist’s long-standing fascination with migrants, itinerants, and poets is showcased through existing works and new creations depicting major poets like Anna Akhmatova and Forough Farrokhzhad, alongside other literary figures such as Pier Paolo Pasolini and Arthur Rimbaud. Curated by Suzanne Pagé and Hans Ulrich Obrist, with contributions from Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster, the exhibition explores the intersection of ethical commitment and artistic innovation, embodying a dialogue that has defined Pignon-Ernest’s work since the 1960s. 

‘Self-Portrait as a Coffee-Pot’

From April 17 to November 24, 2024, the Arsenale Institute for Politics of Representation hosts “Self-Portrait as a Coffee-Pot” by William Kentridge, curated by Carolyn Christov-Bakargiev. This exhibition features a new nine-episode video series by the South African artist, exploring themes of artistic creation and digital era impacts. Designed to mimic the creative isolation of his Johannesburg studio, the exhibition offers a deep dive into Kentridge’s processes and thoughts through digital and physical mediums. The series intertwines Kentridge’s animated drawings and sculptures, reflecting on memory, identity, and history. Accompanying events, including philosophical talks, enrich the exhibition’s interactive narrative.

Lee Bae — La Maison de La Lune Brûlée

“Lee Bae — La Maison de La Lune Brûlée,” hosted by the Wilmotte Foundation from April 20 to November 24, 2024, is an exhibition curated by Valentina Buzzi. This exhibition showcases South Korean artist Lee Bae’s tribute to the ancient ritual of Moonhouse Burning, or daljip taeugi, a significant cultural event celebrated on the first full moon of the lunar new year in Korea. This ritual, which promotes community unity by celebrating cyclical cosmology, is the foundation for Lee Bae’s exhibition that beautifully merges folklore with contemporary art. At the exhibition’s heart are renewal, circularity, and the innate connection between humanity and nature. 

Perrotin Art Gallery x Daniel Arsham 

In partnership with Perrotin Art Gallery, renowned American contemporary artist Daniel Arsham will showcase a collection at the Chiesa di Santa Caterina in Venice. This exhibition will feature new mosaics, large-scale bronzes, monumental paintings, and relic statues from his collaboration with Star Wars. Arsham is a globally recognized artist known for his unique sculptures and architectural influences, having previously displayed his works at prestigious venues such as the Museum of Contemporary Art in Miami and the Athens Biennale in Greece. Read our exclusive interview with Daniel Arsham here. 

Pierre Huyghe: Liminal 

From March 17 to November 24, 2024, Punta della Dogana hosts “Liminal,” an exhibition by Pierre Huyghe, curated by Anne Stenne. This exhibit features new works alongside pieces from the past decade, many from the Pinault Collection. Huyghe, known for exploring the boundaries between human and non-human entities, transforms the exhibition space into a living, evolving environment. Here, human and non-human entities coexist, continuously adapting and intermingling in a space where memories expand through interactions with ongoing events, seen and unseen. “Liminal” represents a state of constant flux, a site where new realities and subjectivities emerge and evolve without a predetermined order. Huyghe invites visitors to experience alternative realities, challenging human-centric perspectives and embracing a broader, more inclusive view of existence. The project was supported by Bottega Veneta with outfits for the work “Idiom,” designed by the brand’s Creative Director, Matthieu Blazy. 

ARTISTS TO WATCH

Julien Creuzet

Julien Creuzet, known for his dynamic integration of sculpture, video, music, and performance, will represent France at the 2024 Venice Biennale. Creuzet’s work explores themes of creolisation, identity, and cultural fusion. Born in Le Blanc Mesnil and raised in Martinique, his diverse background enriches his immersive, multisensory art, making it relevant to contemporary global discussions. Creuzet has exhibited worldwide, including notable solo shows at LUMA Arles and Camden Arts Centre. His project for the Biennale promises to be both poetic and transformative. It leverages Martinique’s potent historical and cultural landscapes to deepen the discourse on colonial histories and their modern-day implications, emphasizing the island’s role in shaping narratives of resistance and identity through art. This approach is emblematic of Creuzet’s broader artistic practice, which merges poetry, music, and visual arts to explore the depths of memory and cultural transformation.

Glicéria Tupinambá

Glicéria Tupinambá, a member of the Tupinambá people, will be the first Indigenous artist to represent Brazil solo at the 2024 Venice Biennale. The Brazilian Pavilion, renamed the Hãhãwpuá Pavilion for this edition, draws its new title from the Pataxó people’s word for the territory known before Portuguese colonization. Her presentation, “Ka’a Pûera: we are walking birds,” highlights the capoeira bird and reflects on the environmental and cultural threats faced by the Tupinambá forests. Glicéria’s work intertwines her roles as an artist and activist, notably her advocacy against corporate deforestation and police brutality in Brazil. Arissana Pataxó, Denilson Baniwa, and Gustavo Caboco Wapichana are curating the pavilion, which emphasizes memory, nature, and resistance themes. 

Evelyn Taocheng Wang

Evelyn Taocheng Wang, a Chinese diaspora artist, explores themes of gender, belonging, and cultural identity through diverse mediums, including drawing, painting, calligraphy, performance, and installation. Born in China, educated in Germany, and based in the Netherlands, Wang views identity as a dynamic and layered concept, deeply influenced by her experiences as an immigrant. Her artwork often combines muted tones, delicate line drawings, and text to weave together memory and imagination, creating emotionally charged, poetic narratives. 

Yuko Mohri

Yuko Mohri, an artist from Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, will represent Japan at the Biennale Arte 2024. Known for exploring the creative potential that arises from crises, Mohri’s work focuses on how challenging situations can inspire significant creativity. Her upcoming exhibition at the Japanese pavilion will draw from the innovative practices of Tokyo metro workers who use common objects to manage water leaks, reflecting themes of ingenuity in everyday life.

Mohri’s installation will include auditory and kinetic elements, featuring site-specific works that combine ready-made objects with electrical circuits to produce sounds and movements. One highlighted piece will involve rotting fruit attached to electrodes, generating light and musical notes, symbolizing decay and regeneration. The exhibition will also echo recent global and local crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2019 floods in Venice while integrating ecological activism and sustainability themes.

Jeffrey Gibson

Jeffrey Gibson is the US representative at the 2024 Venice Biennale, is known for integrating American, Indigenous, and Queer histories with pop culture influences, Gibson’s works provoke reflection on identity and promote inclusivity. At the U.S. Pavilion, Gibson’s new and recent works include sculptures, paintings, multimedia pieces, and a site-specific installation in the courtyard, all of which encourage contemplation of individual and collective identities. His exhibition’s title, “Jeffrey Gibson: the space in which to place me,” is inspired by the work of Oglala Lakota poet Layli Long Soldier. Gibson, of Choctaw and Cherokee descent, has a global upbringing and studied fine arts in Chicago and London. He has received numerous awards, including the 2019 MacArthur Fellowship, and his works are featured in significant collections such as the Museum of Modern Art and the National Gallery of Canada.