L'Officiel Art

Venice Biennale 2024: Your Guide to Unmissable Artists, Exhibitions, and Events

Set to begin on April 20, 2024, here's a list of artists, exhibitions, and events to keep your eye on for the 60th Venice Biennale art festival. 

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The Prince of Goldsmiths exhibition. Photo courtesy of Buccellati.

Often coined as "the Olympics of the art world,"  the Venice Biennale is hailed as the world's oldest and most influential art and cultural festival. The global art exhibition will feature 331 artists from around the world and will play host to a multitude of exhibitions and installations that are a must-see when attending the biannual event. 

The festivities are to take place in several different parts of Venice, which famously include Castello, which houses the main part of the exhibition, as well as the halls of the Venetian Arsenal and the Biennale Gardens. While these locations may be central to the festival, the Venice Biennale is known to set up shop all over the city, essentially turning the City of Canals into a large smorgasbord of artistic celebration. 

If you find yourself at this famed art festival, L'OFFICIEL has a few hand-picked recommendations that are worth exploring.

Events

Tod's x The Italia Pavillion  

 

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The Italian pavilion as seen during the 57th Venice Biennale in 2017. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.

The luxury fashion house Tod's has partnered with the Italia Pavilion to unveil an installation of "Due Qui/To Hear," featuring curator Luca Cerizza and artist Massimo Bartolini. This partnership effort from Tod's comes from their objective to give back to the Italian art scene and encourage the preservation of Italian art and culture. 

To mark the partnership, Tod's is set to host an event in Venice to commemorate their efforts in supporting the 60th Venice Biennale and unveiling "Due Qui/To Hear." This event will be held during the pre-opening days of the exhibition; more details to come later on.

Exhibitions

The Prince of Goldsmiths

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The Prince of Goldsmiths exhibition. Photo courtesy of Buccellati.

Buccellati will be presenting an exhibition highlighting the themes surrounding the brand's classic and historic creations. Named The Prince of Goldsmiths: Rediscovering the Classics, the title refers to how the influential Italian writer Gabriele d'Annunzio described the founder, Mario Buccellati, and his work as a jeweler. The exhibition will celebrate the jewelry house's ability to represent the past, present, and future through its classic designs.

"Buccellati, today as yesterday, rediscovers the value of the 'classic', meant as a taste capable of transcending temporal boundaries, conquering eternity through beauty and craftsmanship. The theme of the exhibition is therefore dedicated to the rediscovery of the classics, considering 'classics' all those objects which are capable, in every moment, to transmit universal feelings of closeness, astonishment, wonder, and passion," said the press release. 

The exhibition will be divided into four sections, each section representing a theme that showcases Buccellati's artistic style over the years. If you are a jewelry enthusiast or a fan of the Maison, this exhibition detailing the craftsmanship and design origins of Buccellati's creations will certainly be worthy of your attention. 

The event will be hosted in the spaces of Oficine 800 on the Giudecca Canal from April 18, 2024, to June 18, 2024. 

Artists

Daniel Arsham

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Daniel Arsham, Stormtrooper: Rose Quartz Crystallized Bust, 2023. Photo courtesy of the artist and Perrotin.

In collaboration with the Perrotin Art Gallery, Daniel Arsham, a distinguished American contemporary artist, will be presenting a collection of new mosaics, large-scale bronzes, and monumental paintings, along with relic statues done during his collaboration with Star Wars. 

Arsham, known for his unique sculptures and architecturally inspired art, is a world-renowned artist whose work is an absolute must-see, as he's been featured in museums and exhibitions worldwide, including the Museum of Contemporary Art in Miami and the Athens Biennale in Athens, Greece. 

His presentation will be presented at the Chiesa di Santa Caterina in Venice. 

Bernar Venet 

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Bernar Venet in front of a pile of coal mixed with tar, 1963. Photo: Philippe Bompuis. Photo courtesy of Perrotin.

Bernar Venet, a French conceptual artist, is known for incorporating minimalism and grittiness into his sculptures and art installations. As a youngster in 1961 who completed his military service in France, he preoccupied his mind with personal expression and art. He experimented with industrial materials like tar as a substance he could use to make art, thus creating bodies of work like Déchets and Goudron. Then, in 1963, he created his famed Tas de Charbon (Pile of Coal), a shapeless minimal sculpture that was the first of its kind. His vision to have art mimic reality in its rawest form allows for a thought-provoking experience when viewing his work. 

A panorama of Venet's earliest works will be presented at the Bibliotheca Nazionale Marciana.

Ai Weiwei 

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Photo courtesy of Fitz & Co.

Entitled "Neither Nor," this exhibition will offer a comprehensive showcase of the esteemed Chinese contemporary artist Ai Weiwei's work. Featuring a considerable array of new pieces by the artist, it will notably highlight his renowned Lego creations, making it one of the most extensive displays of such works to date. Furthermore, it is rare for such a substantial collection of Lego artworks to be exhibited together.

"Neither Nor" also marks Ai Weiwei's return to solo exhibitions at Galleria Continua's esteemed San Gimignano venue after over a decade. Scheduled to commence on April 13, just ahead of the Venice Biennale 2024 and conveniently located a few hours away, this exhibition offers visitors a unique chance to delve into the practice of one of the most influential artists of our era.

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