The Venice Art Biennale 2024, titled “Foreigners Everywhere,” is a rich and evocative examination of identity, belonging, and the experience of being an outsider. This year’s theme highlights the global complexities of migration, displacement, and cultural adaptation. Artists from around the world present works that explore the psychological, social, and political dimensions of foreignness in a rapidly changing world.
@travelartstories Venive. Art Biennale.
Venice, a city shaped by centuries of artistic influence, serves as the perfect host for such a theme, allowing contemporary issues to unfold against a backdrop steeped in history. Although I found some of this year’s exhibitions lacked the complexity of Venice’s artistic past, the Biennale nevertheless reinforces Venice’s role as a city built for artists, by artists.
Free Exhibitions Outside Pavilions and more Art in Venice
In addition to the national pavilions, several free installations around Venice add layers of experience to this year’s Biennale. Memo Akten, known for his exploration of the intersections between nature and technology, has created a mesmerizing digital installation near the main Biennale grounds.
Using projection, sound, and organic visuals generated through AI, Akten’s piece examines the human relationship with technology and the environment, offering a compelling visual journey in a city famous for its balance of the man-made and natural.
@travelartstories “In essence, this piece is about boundaries–those imaginary, fluid barriers. The imaginary boundaries between ourselves and our environment, body and soul, the material and the immaterial. Yet, boundaries are merely constructs of our human mind. We are not separate from the universe; we are not even in it–we are integral parts of its fabric. Just as waves are manifestations of the ocean, we are manifestations of the universe. And while we are subatomic waves dancing in cosmic quantum fields, we also dance at the macroscale. We dance to express ourselves, to connect with each other, our environment and the ‘divine’. We dance to experience union with the universe directly. Boundaries aims to induce a contemplative experience, encouraging us to reflect on these ideas.” – Memo Akten The Vanhaerents Art Collection is holding it’s third exhibition on the occassion of 60th Venice Biennale. Entitled ‘Memo Akten. Boundaries’, which will showcase a digital work that Memo has made on commission for the Vanhaerents Art Collection.
Nearby, a surreal installation featuring a blue dog and a rabbit with an egg provides a whimsical break from the heavier themes of the Biennale, adding a touch of playful fantasy to Venice’s streets. Also drawing attention outside the main pavilion spaces are the works of Andrzej Wroblewski, a Polish painter whose pieces stand out for their emotional depth and historical resonance.
@travelartstories These are all free art exhibitions around Venice during Art Biennale di Venezia.
Andrzej Wroblewski’s work is celebrated for its hauntingly expressive style, which captures the trauma and resilience of post-war Poland.
His exhibition at the Venice Biennale consists of vivid, emotionally charged paintings that reflect on themes of suffering, resilience, and survival. Wroblewski’s works often grapple with the psychological scars left by war, using symbolic colors and fragmented compositions that evoke a haunting sense of memory and loss.
Pavilion Highlights
@travelartstories Unbeliavable art experience but to compare with genious works of Venice art masters, modern art looks amateur and even ugly. But Venice now is full of art exhibitions most of them are free. I have visited many of them including pavillions. This is part 1 of #biennaledivenezia2024 #biennaledivenezia #artbiennale #modernart #veniceart #venicebiennale The 2024 Venice Biennale, its 60th edition, is themed “Stranieri Ovunque – Foreigners Everywhere,” and is curated by Adriano Pedrosa. This theme delves into ideas of belonging, migration, and identity, reflecting the global conversation around foreignness.
Among the pavilions, several nations have produced standout exhibitions that align with the theme of “Foreigners Everywhere.” The pavilions from Hungary, France, Canada, Poland, and Ukraine delve into personal and collective stories of migration, conflict, and cultural exchange, offering unique perspectives on what it means to be foreign in a globalized world.
- Hungary Pavilion – Techno Zen by Márton Nemes
Márton Nemes’ Techno Zen in the Hungary Pavilion combines painting, sculpture, and sound to create an immersive environment inspired by techno culture and nightlife. Using materials like laser-cut steel, enamel, and DMX lighting, Nemes transforms the pavilion into a pulsating, fluorescent landscape. This multi-sensory installation invites visitors to step into a world that blurs the boundaries between art and experience, embodying themes of unity and individualism within a shared space.
- France Pavilion – Julien Creuzet’s Tarantula Vision
At the France Pavilion, Julien Creuzet offers a sensory experience inspired by the matoutou falaise, a tarantula native to Martinique. Creuzet’s work blends sound, color, and movement in forms that evoke the natural world, inviting viewers to engage with art in a meditative way. His installation asks visitors to rethink human relationships with nature, offering an experience that is both poetic and ecologically resonant.
- Canada Pavilion – Kapwani Kiwanga’s Conterie
In the Canada Pavilion, Kapwani Kiwanga examines the role of Venetian conterie (seed beads) in historical trade and colonization. Her installation, which moves seamlessly between the interior and courtyard, is a reflection on the socio-political impact of commerce. Each tiny glass bead represents a unit of exchange in past trade networks, creating a dialogue about beauty, power, and the enduring legacies of colonialism.
- Poland Pavilion – Repeat After Me II
The Poland Pavilion’s Repeat After Me II explores the psychological impact of war on Ukrainian refugees, transforming the space into a hauntingly realistic karaoke bar where the sounds of conflict replace popular music. Visitors are invited to repeat these unsettling sounds, immersing them in an emotional experience that reflects the visceral realities of war. This installation serves as a stark reminder of the resilience of those affected by conflict and the unsettling normalization of violence. - Ukraine Pavilion– Stories of Resilience and Reclamation
The Ukraine Pavilion stands out with works that explore the resilience of the Ukrainian people amid the ongoing conflict. Highlights include:- Net Making, which brings strangers together to weave camouflage nets—a symbol of both unity and resistance.
- Best Wishes by Katya Buchatska, where the artist collaborates with neurodiverse individuals to explore the language of wishes, addressing the experience of “otherness” and the resilience of community.
- Work by Oleksandr Burlaka, who uses traditional weaving techniques to create a visual space that combines personal history with collective trauma.
- Civilians. Invasion by Andrii Rachynskyi and Daniil Revkovskyi, which documents the Russian invasion through civilian-shot footage, allowing the viewer to experience the conflict from a deeply personal perspective.
- Comfort Work by Andrii Dostliev and Lia Dostlieva, which playfully critiques the stereotypes placed on refugees in Europe, creating a space where displaced Ukrainians reclaim their sense of agency and identity.
Through these varied installations, the Ukraine Pavilion poignantly addresses the experience of otherness, resilience, and survival in a world marked by conflict and displacement.
@travelartstories Art Biennale di Venezia.
Reflecting on the Biennale: The Fusion of Tradition and Modernity
This year’s Biennale offered a mixed experience. While the theme of “Foreigners Everywhere” is deeply relevant, some installations leaned towards simplicity in ways that fell short of capturing the full complexity of the concept. In contrast to the intricate genius of Venice’s classical art, the stark minimalism of some modern pieces felt somewhat lacking.
Yet Venice, a city shaped by generations of artists, remains an inspiring backdrop for these conversations. The Biennale is a reminder of the city’s ongoing influence in the art world, offering a space for both tradition and innovation. Even with my critiques, I look forward to seeing how future Biennales continue to push the boundaries of contemporary art and reflect our world’s evolving challenges and triumphs.
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