la Biennale di Venezia (Pressetext)

54^th International Art Exhibition

directed by Bice Curiger

  ILLUMInazioni – ILLUMInations

  Venice (Giardini and Arsenale), June, 4^th – November, 27^th 2011

Preview: June 1^st – 2^nd and 3^rd, 2011

  Venice, October 22^nd 2010 – The President of la Biennale di Venezia, Paolo Baratta , accompanied by the Director of the 54^th International Art Exhibition, Bice Curiger, met on October, 20^th 2010 the representatives of the participating countries, which for the very first time will include Govern d’Andorra, Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Bahrain, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Republic of Rwanda, as well as Congo and India, which last participated respectively in 1968 and 1980.

  The 54^th International Art Exhibition will take place in Venice from June, 4^th to November, 27^th 2011 at the Giardini and at the Arsenale (preview: June 1^st – 2^nd and 3^rd, 2011), as well as in various venues the city.

  The title chosen by Bice Curiger for the 54^th International Art Exhibition is ILLUMInations.

  Bice Curiger explains:

«La Biennale is one of the world’s most important forums for the dissemination and “illumination” about the current developments in international art. The title of the 54^th Exhibition, ILLUMInations literally draws attention to the importance of such developments in a globalised world. I am particularly interested in the eagerness of many contemporary artists to establish an intense dialogue with the viewer, and to challenge the conventions through which contemporary art is viewed.

The work of Venetian painter Tintoretto will play a prominent role in ILLUMInations.

In many contemporary artists (the ones who interest me most), I find the same search for light, both rational and febrile, that animates some of Tintoretto’s later works. Tintoretto too was worried about overturning the conventions of his time, through a near reckless approach to composition that overturns the well-defined, classical order of the Renaissance. I am interested in the light in those paintings, which is not rational but ecstatic. Tintoretto’s presence will establish an artistic, historical and emotional relationship to the local context.

The term “nations” in ILLUMInations applies metaphorically to recent developments in the arts all over the world, where overlapping groups form collectives of people representing a wide variety of smaller, more local activities and mentalities. In addition, I am in favour of a Biennale with the Pavilions, because they represent an extraordinary opportunity for dialogue among the artists. The Arsenale offers me an opportunity to bring together the works of artists who use the space as a medium through the creation of “para-Pavilions”.

Sometimes the Pavilions of the Biennale are considered anachronistic; on the contrary they can be a tool to reflect upon the issue of identity. I wish to reinforce the sense of unity between the International Exhibition and the National Participations, by asking the artists from every country and the artists of ILLUMInations to answer 5 questions regarding this theme».

  The 54^th International Art Exhibition of la Biennale di Venezia will present, as usual, the National Participations with their own exhibitions in the historic Pavilions of the Giardini, and in the centre of Venice.

  This edition will also include selected Collateral Events, proposed by international bodies and institutions, who will present their exhibitions and initiatives in Venice concurrently with the 54^th Exhibition.

  Bice Curiger. Biographical notes

A graduate of the University of Zurich , Bice Curiger is an art historian, critic and curator of exhibitions at an international level. Since 1993, she has been curator at the Zurich Kunsthaus, one of the most important museums in the world for modern and contemporary art as well as for its collection of 500 years old artworks and which has for years implemented a major exhibitions programme of international significance.Bice Curiger is co-founder and editor-in-chief of “Parkett”, one of the most authoritative and innovative contemporary art magazines in the world, published in Zurich and New York since 1984. Since 2004, she has been publishing director of the “Tate etc” magazine produced by London ’s Tate Gallery.

She is the author of a number of publications on contemporary art, among which “The Collected Writings” (Lindinger+Schmid, Regensburg , 2002), “Looks and tenebrae” (Peter Blum Editions, New York and Zurich, 1983), and a monograph on Meret Oppenheim, “Spuren durchstandener Freiheit” (ABC Publisher, Zurich, 1982, English translation 1990, MIT Press, Boston).

  Paolo Baratta President of la Biennale di Venezia Bice Curiger Direttore della 54. Esposizione Internazionale d’Arte – la Biennale di Venezia Photo: Giorgio Zucchiatti Courtesy: la Biennale di Venezia