The Venice Biennale is an international
art biennial exhibition held in
Venice, Italy. Often described as "the Olympics of the
art world", the Biennale is a prestigious event for contemporary artists known for propelling career visibility. The festival has become a constellation of shows: a central exhibition curated by that year's artistic director,
national pavilions hosted by individual nations, and independent exhibitions throughout Venice. The Biennale parent organization also hosts regular festivals in other arts: architecture, dance, film, music, and theater.[1]
Outside of the central, international exhibition, individual nations produce their own shows, known as pavilions, as their national representation. Nations that own their pavilion buildings, such as the 30 housed on the
Giardini, are responsible for their own upkeep and construction costs as well. Nations without dedicated buildings create pavilions in venues throughout the city.[1]
Organization and building
Architect M. Papandréou designed the pavilion, which was built between 1933 and 1934. Brenno Del Giudice, who led the Biennale's Sant'Elena expansion, also collaborated on the project. The pavilion's simple layout includes a T-shaped hall. Greek and diamond patterns adorn the brickwork, and Greco-Byzantine round arches line the portico.[2]
2018: "The School of Athens", curated by Xristina Argyros and Ryan Neiheiser, consisted of adjoining wooden steps with 3D-printed models of common spaces, such as Harvard's
Carpenter Center (by
Le Corbusier and Cambridge's courtyards.[3]
2010: "The Ark. Old Seeds for New Cultures" was a habitable wooden ark containing aromatic seeds, dried fruits, and plants. It had a working kitchen and sleeping area.[4]
Art
1936 — Maria Anagnostopoulou, Umberto Argyros, Constantinos Artemis, Nicolas Asprogerakas (Commissioner: Typaldo Forestis)
Volpi, Cristiana (2013). "Greece". In Re Rebaudengo, Adele (ed.). Pavilions and Garden of Venice Biennale. Rome: Contrasto. p. 181.
ISBN978-88-6965-440-4.