The oldest (established in 1895) and the most prestigious Biennale in the World – Venice Biennale has its 54th Edition this year with 96 countries participants from all over the worldand opens the doors 4th of June.
Its International Art Exhibition draws more than 375,000 influential visitors from around the world.
This year’s Venice Biennale is entitled ILLUMInations and is curated by Parkett magazine editor Bice Curiger.
The Biennale is often seen as an international art world mating ritual, inside baseball that the wider world often doesn’t get to see. Yet stories like this, of an artist featured in the exhibition tragically killed, is a reminder that the best contemporary art is never created in a vacuum. The Biennale will provide a platform for Basiony’s art as well as his story, and should be a source of pride for the developing Egyptian government and the healing Egyptian people.
The international art community exists to tell these stories and to make sure artists’ voices are heard, no matter their government. It is figures like Basiony and the still-detained Ai Weiwei who show us that contemporary art is vital to the world, and vital to protect.
Will continue till 27th of November, 2011
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