The art biennale in Venice is one of the most important ones in the western world and it is a tool to see what we think is important. Here is my report from Venice biennale 2024.
The art biennale happens every other year and is a mega event with nations participating next to actual artists. My role is not to be an art critic, even though I might have opinions on that… Instead my role is to “read the room”. National and public art, like this, is a way to see what is on the agenda for nations and opinion leaders.
The biennale of Venice opens in spring and close at the end of November. For me, it is good to see the installations at the end of the exhibition period. Less people and the art might have “matured”.
As you should have read, the overall theme of the art event was “foreigners everywhere”. The theme can be interpreted by anyone. So for instance Sweden send a girl who grew up as a second generation immigrant (Lap-See Lam) while Egypt wanted to talk about historical Egyptians revolting agains colonisers like Great Britain, Italy and France. The topic is free for interpretation.
The art installations are really up for any kind of interpretation. And there are huge differences depending if it is a country who is the curator or if it is a single artist. Three pictures to describe this. Top is from the mixed installation of museum pieces and new things. Is the Indonesian girl dancing being objectified? Middle picture by artist Lauren Halsey where she sculpt herseld as a shrek troll on an Egyptian pillar. And lowest picture from the nation Italy. Apparently supposed to be a manmade, metallic garden.
Difficult? Disagree?? Oh, that’s why you go here. There is no right answer. You can talk and talk. I love it.
War and peace
If I try to summarise my impressions, I end up with a handful of themes. One of them is absolutely about peace and war. I dare to say that this theme is topping “sustainability”.
Top one is Taiwan who showed a scary world with no people. Kind of like a zombie emptiness. Also with the threat of China but in a sublime way.
Middle is Poland. They interviewed Ukrainian refugees and had them talk about the sound of war. The we, as an audience were supposed to repeat these sounds, like in a karaoke. Scary and moving.
And third is Russian/Austrian artist who talked about flowers being carrier of peace movements. The carnation revolution in Portugal. Lotus, orange trees, jasmine, etc, etc, etc.
Indigenous people and rights
Kind of a side note. Moving and sad – but not war. Australia talked about the legislation of indigenous people. And specifically “hiding” them. Names are changed and omitted. The whole installation was built as a memorial of things lost.
The US also did a wonderful installation on origin, native Americans and rights. Most pieces had references to US official documents like “Civil Rights Act”, etc.
Migration
Strangers Everywhere means of course we need to talk about migration. Senegal showed this broken boat. The city of Venezia (Venice) have a pavillion on it’s own and showed migrating birds. While Germany showed humankind migrating to a new planet.
The whole migration theme was widely explored and interpretated. Not sure everyone succeded. Like Great Britain talking about water and identitity and slaves and history. A bit much… And below France. Strings… Tying people together…
Sexual orientation
Absolutely not to be forgotten. Sexual minorities were portraied at the installations. A lot. Nude boys everywhere.
Venice biennale 2024. The conversation was about piece, rights history and people we should see. As always a cacaphone with voices and impressions. Lovely as always.
The curators worked hard to include minorities and I think almost everyone got represented in one way or another. The only thing I was missing was actually religion.
We talk about war and rights. But I think maybe we should have seen a few more art installations addressing religion – regardless of belief.
Of course I look forward to Venice biennale 2026. If we talked about minorities 2024 and a bit about sustainability 2022. What will be the conversation 2026??