The 57th International Venice Biennial, one of the leading and most prestigious organizations in the World, is taking place in Venice from May 13th to November 26th. First organized in 1865, for centuries, the Venice Biennial featured many great artists, such as Gustav Klimt, Salvador Dali, Henri Matisse. Titled VIVA ARTE VIVA, the 57th International Art Exhibition of the Venice Biennial is curated by Christine Marcel, and will host 120 artists in 85 pavilions. This year, the Biennial will feature more woman artists and more international artists from Latin America, America and the Middle East. Antigua and Barbuda, Kiribati and Nigeria, will participate for the first time while Tunisia and Malta will return after long absences.
Located in two major Giardini and Arsenale venues and in Central, Italian and National Pavilions, the 57th Venice Biennial will focus on art and the artists. In the Biennial Exhibition, Christine Marcel, who is also the chief curator of the Centre Pompidou, will show art as an individual expression, a ground for thinking, reflection and production. VIVA ARTE VIVA stands out as an exclamation of artistic production, which is shaped by artists’ proposals, questions, practices and ways of living.
Nevin Aladağ (born in Turkey, based in Berlin), and Hale Tenger (lives and based in Istanbul) will take part in the Biennial with their works. As for the Pavilion of Turkey, a special project was developed by Cevdet Erek in collaboration with the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (IKSV). The project will feature in the Arsenale, Sale D’Armi. Entitled ‘’ÇIN’’, this special Biennial project will represent Turkey, and artist’s work developing since the 2000s, focusing on the rhythm, space and sound works. Harmonizing with its surrounding physical environment, his work will develop through time in the space.
Another key feature of the 57th International Venice Biennial is the ‘’Tavole Aperto’’, open table discussions. Every week, artists will come together with the audience around a table for lunch and discussion. Through this, the audience will find a special chance to explore artists’ art and life. In addition to this, a special project named ‘’Unpacking My Library’’ was also developed for the Biennial. In the project, Biennial artists will create a list of their favourite books, and share it with the audience.