In this episode of Arts24, Eve Jackson takes you to Italy for the oldest and largest cultural exhibition in the world – the Venice art Biennale. The breathtaking floating city hosts the Olympics of the art world every two years. It’s the original biennale on which others in the world have been modelled. The 60th edition opened in April and runs until November. In that time it will welcome around 800,000 visitors, who flock to see the work of the world’s best artists all in one place. With more than 85 countries represented, the city’s gardens, palaces and monuments are overflowing with art, transforming the city into a gigantic museum.
This year's Venice Biennale has taken steps to spotlight underrepresented voices, with a particular emphasis on celebrating the LGBT community and Indigenous artists from Brazil, Peru, New Zealand and the United States.
The arts24 team brings you some of their top picks, including an interview with the first ever Indigenous artist to represent the United States at the Venice Biennale. Queer Choctaw/Cherokee artist Jeffrey Gibson's work grapples with notions of identity, belonging and national pride. His exhibition is entitled "The Space in Which to Place Me". In native American history there is much trauma – genocide, stolen land, broken treaties – but for Gibson, there are other aspects that need highlighting such as spirituality, celebration, creativity and resilience.
