The Venice Art Biennale, among the pro-Palestinian protests

The Venice Art Biennale, ready to open to the public amid pro-Palestinian protests

Carmen Naranjo Venice (Italy), Apr 19 (EFE).- The 60th Venice Art Biennale is now prepared to open its doors to the public this Saturday in an edition in which, together with the absence of Israel and some protests in favor of Palestine, the artists located on the margins of tradition and with their gaze focused on the south stand out. Since last Tuesday, more than 4,200 journalists have participated in the three days of preview presentations of the different pavilions and spaces of this international showcase, according to sources from the organization of the Biennial, which they hope to surpass in this edition, which extends until November 24, the 800,000 visitors who came in 2022. With the inauguration of several pavilions, among them that of Spain, this Friday this period of presentation to the media of the Biennial which, under the title of 'Stranieri Ovunque' (Foreigners Everywhere) has the participation of 330 artists and 88 national pavilion spaces. All divided into two sections: the 'Historical Core' - focused on Latin America, Africa, the Middle East and Asia -, and the 'Contemporary Core', which is the largest part of the exhibition and shows the work of four types of artists: the foreigners, the queer, the outsider and the indigenous. An artistic panorama tinged, as usual, with politics. In this edition it has been the war in Gaza that has caused several acts of protest at the entrances of the two main venues of the exhibition: Arsenale and Giardini. Thus, this Friday a group called 'Healthcare for Gaza' called for a ceasefire with banners in Arsenale while in the other headquarters banners were placed that read 'It is not a war, it is a genocide' and 'All peoples from the south we are Palestinians'. In the Israel pavilion, which remains closed by decision of its artist and curators and guarded by Italian guards, there is a notice: “The artist and the curators of the pavilion will inaugurate the exhibition when an agreement is reached for the ceasefire and the release of hostages.” The situation in Palestine was also present at the inauguration of the Spanish pavilion, an event in which the curator, Agustín Pérez Rubio, assured that the Biennial demands a free Palestine. Also the artist who represents Spain, the Peruvian Sandra Gamarra, highlighted the importance of understanding at this moment and in the face of the onslaught of the crises "that we are not only responsible for what we do, but for what we stop doing." Another war is also present in the Biennale, that of Ukraine, with a project that shows a circular space built with linen fabrics from the 50s from flea markets, inside which you can see a film, a video and an installation that serve to tell stories from the last two years. The movie, 'Civilian. Invasion' focuses on the early days of the Russian invasion, with testimonies from survivors and the video, 'Comfort Work', on how host countries view Ukrainian refugees. While the installation explains the development of online art classes in kyiv. They are just part of the artistic projects that can be seen in some of the pavilions inaugurated these three days at the two main venues. While on the island of Giudecca, one of the spaces that has aroused the most expectation in this edition was inaugurated this Friday, that of the Vatican, installed in the women's prison, where the inmates transform into artists and guides. ‘With my Eyes’, curated by Chiara Parisi and Bruno Racine, is dedicated to human rights and its title comes from a verse that refers to a Bible verse: “My eyes have seen you.” EFE cn/agf/jam