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‘The Encyclopedic Palace’

55th International Art Biennale 2013, Venice   

Louise Martin-Chew
Eyeline 80
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Art becomes the defining characteristic of Venice at Biennale time—no small feat in this historic city with its unique romanticism evoked in layers of culture, history and geography. It is a contemporary art festival with a difference, with temporary artworks obvious during the water journey that draws you into Venice. During a time of increasingly global art fairs, biennales and triennales, Venice (I would argue) still offers the epitome of the experience possible at an international art festival: due to the contrast between the age of the city, its buildings and artefacts, and the scale and sheer quantity and quality of the contemporary art on offer. The system of national pavilions sees each country put their best foot forward, in a manner akin to the Olympics for sport.

The Venice Biennale, with two main sites, extends further, into almost every second building throughout the city and its islands. It is a fixture for a six month period, a long time for an art event. Yet, increasingly, the opening week (29 May to 1 June in 2013) has morphed from an exclusive press event into a festival in its own right, with a large group of VIPs and ‘previewers’ amongst the media, sponsors and industry insiders. As a result, the crowds are immense.

There is the buzz of parties and the excitement of the new, but with so many people, significant queues are the by-product (up to two hours for the French and German Pavilions for example). At the heart of it is the fact that contemporary art in the 21st century is both big business and show business; being on the inside is currency. Similarly, at the press conference, Biennale... The rest of this article is available to subscribers of Eyeline

Marino Auriti, Il Encyclopedico Palazzo del Mondo or Encyclopedic Palace of the World, ca. 1950s. 55th International Art Exhibition, Il Palazzo Enciclopedico, la Biennale di Venezia. Photograph Francesco Galli. Courtesy la Biennale di Venezia.

Marino Auriti, Il Encyclopedico Palazzo del Mondo or Encyclopedic Palace of the World, ca. 1950s. 55th International Art Exhibition, Il Palazzo Enciclopedico, la Biennale di Venezia.
Photograph Francesco Galli. Courtesy la Biennale di Venezia.

René Iché, Mask of Breton, ca.1950; Aleister Crowley and Frieda Harris. Installation detail. Courtesy by la Biennale di Venezia

René Iché, Mask of Breton, ca.1950; Aleister Crowley and Frieda Harris. Installation detail. Courtesy by la Biennale di Venezia