Venice Biennale Art Exhibition 2019 "May You Live in Interesting Times" - The Press Conference + List of Collateral Events

(Venice, Italy) At the press conference today, March 7, at Ca' Giustinian, La Biennale's headquarters, Ralph Rugoff, the curator of the 58th International Art Exhibition, said that in the age of Twitter we are actually getting less information. People group up and follow like-minded people, and block those who have another point of view. Rugoff gave his presentation with a twinkle in his eye.

The title of this year's exhibition is "May You Live in Interesting Times," which had been described as an ancient Chinese curse, and used by prominent individuals like Winston Churchill, Bobby Kennedy and Hillary Clinton. But the phrase is "fake news." In reality, there is no such curse, which Rugoff thought was an apt title for the times in which we live.

The feeling that we are living in a period of crisis is always with us. There are no alternative facts, but there are alternative points of view. Artists have alternative perspectives. In his written statement, Rugoff said, "Let us acknowledge at the outset that art does not exercise its forces in the domain of politics. Art cannot stem the rise of nationalist movements and authoritarian governments in different parts of the world, for instance, nor can it alleviate the tragic fate of displaced peoples across the globe... But in an indirect fashion, perhaps art can be a kind of guide for how to live and think in 'interesting times.'"

This year's Biennale has no theme. The exhibition will let the audience have a conversation, and they will decide the thesis.

There are 79 invited artists, less than previous years. The same artists will have works both at Arsenale and Giardini, but these works will be completely different in each venue. You will have no idea that they are made by the same group of artists.

Venice Biennale President Paolo Baratta - Photo: Cat Bauer

President Paolo Baratta said that twenty years have passed since, in this same location, he presented his first Exhibition as President after the Biennale underwent major reform in 1998. "Let me tell you, they have been very interesting times."

During these years, the number of visitors has increased, and La Biennale found a new partner, Swatch. The increase in numbers has allowed La Biennale to cut back on the need for partners. "Our visitors have become our main partner; more than half of them are under 26 years of age. Calling notice to this result seems to me the best way to celebrate the twenty years which have passed since 1999."

President Baratta asked Curator Rugoff what the reaction of the artists was when they were invited to participate in the Venice Biennale. Rugoff said that there are so many Biennales these days that many of the artists have become jaded -- but not when it comes to the Venice Biennale. When they learn they are invited to participate, they are excited.

Ralph Rugoff, Curator 2019 Venice Art Biennale - Photo: Cat Bauer

There are also 90 National Pavilions that will participate this year, and 21 Collateral Events. Someone asked me to post what the Collateral Events will be, which are often just as interesting the main shows at Arsenale and Giardini. Here they are:

Collateral Events:

3x3x6
Palazzo delle Prigioni, Castello, 4209, San Marco
11 May - 24 November
Promoter: Taipei Fine Arts Museum of Taiwan
www.tfam.museum

AFRICOBRA: Nation Time
Ca' Faccanon, San Marco, 5016 (Poste Centrali)
11 May - 24 November
Promoter: bardoLA
http://www.bardoLA.org

Artists Need to Create on the Same Scale that Society Has the Capacity to Destroy: Mare Nostrum
Complesso della Chiesa di Santa Maria delle Penitenti, Fondamenta di Cannaregio, 910
8 May - 24 November
Promoter: The Brooklyn Rail
www.brooklynrail.org

Baselitz – Academy
Gallerie dell'Accademia di Venezia, Dorsoduro, 1050 (Campo della Carità)
8 May - 8 September
Promoter: Gallerie dell'Accademia di Venezia
www.gallerieaccademia.it

Beverly Pepper – Art in the Open
Spazio Thetis, Arsenale Novissimo, Castello, 2737/f
11 May - 24 November
Promoter: Fondazione Progetti Beverly Pepper
www.fondazioneprogettibeverlypepper.com

Catalonia in Venice_to lose your head (idols)
Cantieri Navali, Castello, 40 (Fondamenta Quintavalle)
11 May - 24 November
Promoter: Institut Ramon Llull
www.llull.cat; www.toloseyourhead.llull.cat

Förg in Venice
Palazzo Contarini Polignac, Dorsoduro, 874
11 May - 23 August
Promoter: Dallas Museum of Art
https://www.dma.org/

Future Generation Art Prize 2019 @ Venice
Università IUAV di Venezia, Ca' Tron, Santa Croce, 1957
11 May – 18 August
Promoter: PinchukArtCentre; Victor Pinchuk Foundation
www.pinchukartcentre.org; www.pinchukfund.org

FutuRoma
Dorsoduro, 417 (Zattere)
11 May - 24 November
Promoter: European Roma Institute for Arts and Culture (ERIAC)
https://eriac.org/

Heidi Lau: Apparition
Arsenale, Castello, 2126/A (Campo della Tana)
11 May - 10 November
Promoter: The Macao Museum of Art
http://www.mam.gov.mo/

Ichich – Ichihr – Ichwir / We All Have to Die
Fondazione Querini Stampalia, Castello, 5252 (Campo Santa Maria Formosa)
8 May - 24 November
Promoter: Fondazione Querini Stampalia
www.querinistampalia.org

Living Rocks: A Fragment of the Universe
Magazzino del Sale n. 5, Dorsoduro, 262 (Fondamenta Zattere ai Saloni)
8 May - 24 November
Promoter: Art Gallery of South Australia
https://www.artgallery.sa.gov.au

Philippe Parreno - Displacing Realities
Espace Louis Vuitton Venezia, San Marco, 1353 (Calle del Ridotto)
11 May - 24 November
Promoter: Fondation Louis Vuitton
www.fondationlouisvuitton.fr

Pino Pascali. Dall'immagine alla forma
Palazzo Cavanis, Dorsoduro, 920 (Fondamenta Zattere ai Gesuati)
10 May - 24 November
Promoter: Fondazione Pino Pascali
www.museopinopascali.it

Processional, an Installation by Todd Williamson
Chiesa di Santa Maria della Pietà, Castello 3701 (Riva degli Schiavoni)
8 May - 24 November
Promoter: MAK Center for Art and Architecture
makcenter.org

Salon Suisse: s l o w
Palazzo Trevisan degli Ulivi, Dorsoduro, 810 (Campo Sant' Agnese)
11 May; 19-20-21 September; 17-18-19 October; 21-22-23 November
Promoter: Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia
www.prohelvetia.ch; www.biennials.ch

Scotland + Venice presents Charlotte Prodger
Arsenale Docks, Castello, 40
11 May - 24 November
Promoter: Scotland + Venice
https://scotlandandvenice.com/

Shirley Tse: Stakeholders, Hong Kong in Venice
Arsenale,Castello, 2126 (Campo della Tana)
11 May - 24 November
Promoters: M+ and Hong Kong Arts Development Council
www.westkowloon.hk/en/mplus; www.hkadc.org.hk; www.vbexhibitions.hk

The Death of James Lee Byars
Chiesa di Santa Maria della Visitazione, Fondamenta Zattere ai Gesuati
11 May - 24 November
Promoter: Vanhaerents Art Collection
www.vanhaerentsartcollection.com

The Spark Is You: Parasol unit in Venice
Conservatorio di Musica Benedetto Marcello di Venezia, San Marco, 2810 (Campo Santo Stefano)
9 May - 23 November
Promoter: Parasol unit foundation for contemporary art
http://parasol-unit.org/

Wales in Venice: Sean Edwards
Santa Maria Ausiliatrice, Castello, 450 (Fondamenta San Gioacchin)
11 May - 24 November
Promoter: Cymru yn Fenis / Wales in Venice
www.arts.wales

There are also Special Projects, Biennale Sessions (the project for Universities), Educational, Publications and more. Go to La Biennale for more information.

Ciao from Venezia
Cat Bauer
Venetian Cat - The Venice Blog