Despite plummeting temperatures and heavy rain, Venice has been bustling in recent days, with many visitors coming to the opening of the Biennale of Art.
Titled The Milk of Dreams, the Venice Biennale explores posthuman, metamorphosis, ecology and more, opening on April 23 and continuing on November 27. Chief Curator Cecilia Alemani, the fifth female Chief Curator in the show's history, was the first Italian woman to direct the event and a friend of Pietro Beccari, Chairman and CEO of Christian Dior Couture. At this last annual exhibition, Cecilia Alemani set up five "time capsules", most of which are works on loan from the museum, echoing the theme of the exhibition.
59th Venice Biennale
Of the 213 participating artists from 58 countries, more than 90% were women, the highest number of female artists. The overall number of artists exhibited was also the largest of any biennale since 2005, compared to the 83 at the previous biennale.
In addition to the participating artists, this year's Biennale has also attracted more support and participation from different identities and forms of fashion brands than ever before, which not only brings more diverse interpretation perspectives to the Venice Art Biennale, but also in such a cultural mecca that integrates multiple art disciplines, the two major cultural industries of fashion and art, and also crosses borders and nationalities, bringing each other more imaginative creative space and longer-term inheritance value.
These include Dior as the main sponsor, Valentino, the italian patron Valentino, the Venice patron Pomellato, and Prada, Bottega Veneta, Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Diesel, and many others who bring different forms of art exhibitions or performances.
On the opening night, Dior, as the main sponsor, hosted a special charity dinner at the Teatro La Fenice in Venice to protect and promote venetian cultural heritage, especially to help restore the Ca'd'oro Museum, and to pay tribute to Dior's unrelenting love and commitment to cultural exchange. In view of the current international situation, part of the funds raised by the charity dinner will be donated to Ukrainian refugees living in Italy.
Maria Grazia Chiuri attends the charity dinner at the Venice Biennale
Pietro Beccari, Chairman and CEO, said: "The dior brand history has always been closely linked to the art world. The whimsy of Christian Dior nourishes our imagination and inspires our timeless love of culture and art. At a time when Ukrainian refugees living in Italy are in dire need of help, this charity dinner is a great place for us and a testament to the unwavering friendship between Dior and the Venice Heritage Foundation. ”
In addition to being the main sponsor, Dior's involvement takes many forms – in this biennale, Dior commissioned 82-year-old Venetian artist Fabrizio Plessi, known for his video installations, to reinterpret Lady Dior handbags; feminist artist Tomaso Binga had previously collaborated with Maria Grazia Chiuri, Dior's womenswear director.
Venetian artist Fabrizio Plessi reinterprets the Lady Dior handbag
Chief Curator Cecilia Alemani said: "At this biennale, there are a lot of people who have something to do with us, especially Maria Grazia Chiuri, and there are many stories to tell about this collaboration. ”
Rosamund Pike attends the charity dinner at the Venice Biennale
During the Venice Art Biennale, the Prada Foundation presented the exhibition "The Human Brain: It All Starts with Thoughts" from April 23 to November 27. Curated by Udo Kittelmann in collaboration with Taryn Simon, the exhibition occupies three floors of the building and is the result of a long and in-depth study carried out by the Prada Foundation in collaboration with the Scientific Committee.
The Prada Foundation presents the exhibition "The Human Brain: It All Begins with Thought" at the Venice Biennale
In the exhibition hall on the first floor, a series of projections introduce the anatomy, physiology and imaging of the brain to the audience, and vividly present the development and operation of the brain through illustrations. On the first and second floors, more than 110 exhibits document centuries of exploration of the human brain.
These include historical objects, drawings, paintings, prints, and books that mark some of the most important stages in human history over the millennia, as well as illuminate forgotten chapters in the eras of Mesopotamia and Ancient Egypt, the Italian Renaissance, the Edo period of Japan, and the past 30 years of imaging technology.
The Prada Foundation presents the exhibition "The Human Brain: It All Begins with Thought" at the Venice Biennale
At the heart of the second floor, 32 combo screens feature fascinating presentations by 36 neuroscientists, psychologists, neurolinguists and philosophers from five continents. They study neuroscience experiments, and their philosophical and ethical dimensions.
The Prada Foundation presents the exhibition "The Human Brain: It All Begins with Thought" at the Venice Biennale
The "Human Brain" multidisciplinary brain research project is the result of an in-depth investigation process conducted by the Fondazione Prada in the field of neuroscience since 2018, which looks at different fields: from neurobiology to philosophy, from psychology to neurochemistry, from linguistics to artificial intelligence, and robotics. The driving force behind it is a keen interest in understanding the human brain, the complexity of its functions, and the central role it has played throughout human history.
The program is run by the Prada Foundation in collaboration with a scientific committee chaired by neuroscientist Giancarlo Comi and includes cognitive neuroscientist Jubin Abutalebi, philosopher Massimo Cacciari, science journalist Viviana Kasam, curator Udo Kittelmann, neurologist and neurophysiologist Letizia Leocani, neurolinguistics Andrea Moro and cognitive neuroscientist Daniela Perani.
The Prada Foundation presents the exhibition "The Human Brain: It All Begins with Thought" at the Venice Biennale
As Miuccia Prada, President of the Prada Foundation, puts it: "We are increasingly interested in topics that affect human life, even if they are difficult to understand. Dealing with science is undoubtedly an intellectual challenge for a cultural institution whose identity is rooted in the field of visual arts: how do we develop an exhibition of ideas and knowledge? With the support of the Human Brains Scientific Committee, we explored a range of issues: how to get scientists and researchers to express their opinions, how to get them in touch with a wider audience, and how to find a way to explain the rigor of science that everyone can understand. We believe that talking about the human brain is equivalent to talking about human beings. Focusing on the uniqueness of our brains can help us understand the impact of scientific research on human life and broader cultural progress."
At this art biennale, Bottega Veneta collaborated with the Pinault Collection on the "Dancing Studies" dance performance project, a series of live dance performances around the Pinault Collection's exhibition "Bruce Nauman: Contraposto Studies" at the Palazzo Grassi in Venice.
Bottega Veneta collaborated with the Pinault Collection on the "Dancing Studies" dance performance project
Inspired by Bruce Norman: A Study of the Balance of Opposites, the work was presented by Greek dancer and choreographer Lenio Kaklea, while the costumes were personally designed by Matthieu Blazy, Creative Director of Bottega Veneta, which is the second consecutive year that Bottega Veneta has become an official partner of the Venice Biennale.
Matthieu Blazy said: "Essentially, we are exploring the body in motion and in motion. By working with Lenio Kaklea, we can clearly feel the radicalism and beauty of the movement, which is the collision of clothing and self-expression. ”
Cecilia Alemani, curator of the Venice Biennale, and Matthieu Blazy, creative director of Bottega Veneta
At the opening day dinner, Lenio Kaklea performed Sonatas and interludes for 50 guests, including Julianne Moore and Bart Freundlich, who carried the Bottega Veneta Winter 22 Series Kalimero bucket bag, this Kalimero The bucket bag showcases Intreccio craftsmanship in a new way, with no stitching and completely hand-woven. Previously, this bucket bag has also caused a hot discussion due to the high pre-sale price of 60,000 yuan.
Julianne Moore holds a Kalimero bucket bag
In addition, the fifteen Cabat handbag capsules, inspired by the classic Italian Olivetti typewriter, were also released at bottega Veneta's Venice store on April 21.
The Cabat range of handbag capsules is available at the Bottega Veneta store in Venice
Bartolomeo "Leo" Rongone, CEO of Bottega Veneta, said: "Venice is inherently international and a cultural mecca that brings together multidisciplinary art and design. Bottega Veneta has the same roots in the same history and the same perspective. Through this multidisciplinary approach of combining the arts of the dance performances, exhibitions and special launches, Bottega Veneta further strengthens the relationship between the brand and the cultural history of Italy, presenting the brand's key concepts through cultural and artistic exchanges. ”
To celebrate the upcoming restoration work at the Giorgio Franchetti Museum, the Ca' d'Oro Museum hosted a dinner hosted by Louis Vuitton on April 21. Deepika Padukone, Isabelle Huppert, Tahar Rahim, Valeria Golino, Nicoletta Romanoff, Giorgia Tordini, Candela Pelizza and Paolo Stella were invited to attend.
Louis Vuitton hosted a cocktail reception and dinner at the Ca'd'Oro Palace
As ceilia Alemani's official parallel exhibition project for the Venice Biennale, Louis Vuitton also exhibited Katharine Grosse's three-dimensional work "Apollo, Apollo" created specifically for the Biennale at the Espace Cultural and Art Space in Venice. As a supporter of the Venice Heritage Foundation, an international nonprofit organization, Louis Vuitton also funded the D'Oro Museum to fund the restoration of the historic late Gothic palace.
Interior view of the Golden Palace
In addition, in this project, Louis Vuitton and the Venetian Municipal Authorities are working together to renovate several newsstands in well-known attractions – from Piazza San Marco to Castel Sant'Angelo , and from 20 April 2022, the renovated newsstand will be transformed into a special limited-time bookstore, displaying louis vuitton's travel book series "City Guide", "The Eye of Fashion", "Travelogue" and others, as well as a selection of international newspapers and periodicals.
Louis Vuitton Limited Time Bookstore
It is worth mentioning that since 2013, as part of the Beyond the Walls project operated by the Fondation Louis Vuitton, the Louis Vuitton Espace Cultural and Art Space in Venice has been the venue for a series of international contemporary art exhibitions.
During the Preview Week of the 59th Venice Biennale from April 18 to 21, Chanel brought together for the first time ten winners to celebrate their first Chanel Next Prize.
From left to right: Sir David Adjaye OBE (jury member), Tilda Swinton (jury member), Jung Jae-il (composer, performer, music director and producer), Eduardo Williams (filmmaker and artist), Rungano Nyoni (filmmaker), Precious Okoyomon (artist and poet), Botis Seva (producer) Dancer, choreographer and director), Bing Wang (filmmaker), Marie Schleef (theatre director), Marlene Monteiro Freitas (dancer and choreographer), and Keiken (collaborative practice group co-founded by artists Hana Omori, Isabel Ramos and Tanya Cruz)
The winning artists come from 11 countries and span theatre, film, dance, game design, visual and performing arts. Each (group) winner receives a prize of €100,000 to support their creations. As part of the Next Prize project, Chanel curated this trip to Venice for the winners, helping them to experiment with ideas and expand their artistic networks to inspire future projects.
Jury member and actor Tilda Swinton joined the winners with architect Sir David Adjaye OBE, creative thought leaders and partners from the Chanel Cultural Foundation such as the National Portrait Gallery, the Centre Pompidou and the Underground Museum.
Chanel Next Prize winner Botis Seva at the preview
Many of these partners were also nominated for this year's Chanel Next Prize winners. The series in Venice included a preview of the Biennale, a dialogue between artists and a gala dinner for the winners and judges, Chanel Cultural Foundation partners and other cultural leaders.
Diesel, in partnership with the Tom of Finland Foundation and The Community, a Paris-based art group, is hosting the exhibition "All Together" in Venice and Paris, bringing together for the first time the world's most extensive collection of LGBTQ art outside of Los Angeles.
"Tom of Finland is the first internationally renowned LBGTQ artist, and through the Tom of Finland Foundation he opened his doors to this minority group, letting more LGBTQ artists know that they no longer need to hide, but we must not forget that this minority still needs to be watched and protected, and the Biennale is one of the best platforms," diesel said. As a global brand, we have a responsibility to give back to the community, which is also a sense of responsibility that we should shoulder as a designer. ”
Works by artist Tom of Finland
It is worth mentioning that Diesel will also launch a specially created capsule collection for Tom of Finland on May 8. Durk Dehner, president and co-founder of the Tom of Finland Foundation, said that the capsule series brought by Diesel is an exciting creation of the series, saying: "Tom of Finland's spiritual legacy still exists and inspires people to be true to themselves and not to be bound, he represents the freedom of all of us." Many LGBTQ artists at the time worked anonymously throughout their careers, while also fearing that their work would be forgotten or destroyed. That's why they donated their life's work to the Tom of Finland Foundation so that their work, and the stories behind them, will be preserved and remembered forever. ”
The "All Together" exhibition, which will be held simultaneously at the Paris Community Center on May 8, will run until June 26 and include more than 200 works of art from the 1940s to the present.
In addition, in this Venice Art Biennale, there is no shortage of street artists. The Republic of San Marino Pavilion showcases british artist Endless's work entitled The Endless Transfiguration, organised by the FR Institute for Contemporary Art and presented in collaboration with the Cris conti Contemporary Gallery.