The 60th Venice Biennale, curated by Adriano Pedrosa, has announced its main exhibition lineup, featuring 332 artists exploring the theme of ‘Foreigners Everywhere.’ This ambitious theme delves into the experiences of those living on the margins, whether as outsiders, immigrants, or indigenous populations.
Pedrosa, the first Latin American curator in the Biennale’s history, prioritised geographic diversity and showcased a remarkable increase in artists compared to the previous edition. His selection reflects a focus on Indigenous voices and representation from the Global South.
The exhibition responds to a world grappling with ‘multiple crises concerning the movement and existence of people,’ as Pedrosa states in his curatorial statement. He emphasised the complexities of language, translation, and identity, highlighting the challenges and disparities faced by individuals across borders.
The central exhibition revolves around Claire Fontaine’s evolving neon sculpture series Foreigners Everywhere (2004-), installed in 53 languages throughout the Gaggiandre in the Arsenale. This powerful artwork serves as a potent symbol of the exhibition's overarching theme.
Indigenous artists hold a prominent position. The MAHKU collective from Brazil will create a monumental mural for the Central Pavilion facade, while the Mataaho Collective, four Māori women, will present a large-scale installation in the first room.
Pedrosa, who identifies as queer himself, champions artists who have faced persecution or marginalisation. A dedicated section features queer artists like Erica Rutherford, Isaac Chong Wai, and Elyla, alongside others. Additionally, a room honours three significant European female outsider artists: Madge Gill, Anna Zemánková, and Aloïse Corbaz.
Looking beyond contemporary voices, the ‘Historical Nucleus’ sheds light on lesser-known modernist movements from the 20th century in Latin America, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. Pedrosa emphasizes the importance of “learning more about, and from, them,” offering a platform for these historically underrepresented figures.
This section is divided into three parts: portraiture, featuring artists like Selwyn Wilson and Yêdamaria; abstraction, showcasing works by Sandy Adsett and Etel Adnan; and finally, works by artists from Italy's first or second-generation Diaspora, including Lidy Prati and Gianni Bertini.
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With its expansive reach and thought-provoking theme, the 60th Venice Biennale promises to be a landmark event, sparking vital conversations about identity, displacement, and the ever-evolving global landscape. The exhibition opens on April 20th, 2024, and runs until November 24th, 2024.