The 2024 Venice Biennale, distinguished as a leading art event worldwide, announces the participation of 331 artists in its latest edition, themed "Foreigners Everywhere." This year's showcase, scheduled from April 20 to November 24, marks a significant increase from the 213 artists featured in the previous 2022 edition, highlighting the Biennale's continuous expansion and influence in the international art scene. The selection encompasses a broad spectrum of artists, from emerging talents to established figures, including Beatriz Cortez, Olga De Amaral, and Yinka Shonibare, alongside a special acknowledgment of influential historical and recently deceased artists such as Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera.
Curated by Adriano Pedrosa, the artistic director of the Museu de Arte de São Paulo, this edition's theme, "Foreigners Everywhere," is inspired by the neon works of the Claire Fontaine collective. It reflects on the global crises related to migration, identity, and the barriers erected by nations and cultures. Pedrosa's curatorial vision extends the Biennale's scope to explore narratives around Afro-Atlantic, Indigenous, women, and queer communities, emphasizing the multifaceted experiences of foreigners and the concept of foreignness across different contexts.
La Biennale di Venezia 2024 credit: @la_Biennale
The exhibition is divided into two main parts: "Nucleo Contemporaneo" and "Nucleo Storico," focusing on contemporary and historical works, respectively. The contemporary section will feature first-time participants like the MAHKU collective from Brazil and the Mataaho Collective from New Zealand, embracing themes of diaspora, gender, and activism. The historical section aims to shed light on modernisms and artistic expressions from the Global South, with a focus on portraiture, abstraction, and the Italian diaspora's influence on these regions.
Pedrosa's Biennale also pays special attention to the Disobedience Archive, a project that collects works at the intersection of art and activism, further diversifying the range of voices and stories presented. This approach not only enriches the Biennale's narrative but also aligns with Pedrosa's personal commitment to exploring under-known histories and the dynamics of global citizenship.
Selena Mattei