Biennale Arte 2024: a journey through identities and migrations

Art as a bridge between global cultures and languages

From April 20 to November 24, 2024, Venice hosted the 60th International Art Exhibition, an event that consolidated the city as a global epicenter of contemporary art. Under the curatorship of Adriano Pedrosa, the first Latin American to hold this prestigious position, this year’s edition has chosen as its central theme “Foreigners Everywhere”, a powerful and current reflection on the dynamics of identity, belonging and migration.

A universal theme: Foreigners everywhere
The title chosen, inspired by a 2004 work by the Claire Fontaine collective, explored the concept of “being foreigners” in a broad and inclusive sense. As Pedrosa pointed out, artists have often lived and worked as nomads, moving across geographical and cultural boundaries. The experience of the “foreigner”, the exile or the migrant has therefore become the common thread to tell stories of diaspora, exclusion and identity transformation.
The aim was not only to document these experiences, but also to highlight how they have contributed to shaping artistic and cultural production around the world.

An exhibition in two nuclei: Contemporary and Historical
The 2024 Biennale was divided into two main sections, creating a dialogue between the present and the past:
– the Contemporary Core, dedicated to artists exploring the themes of migration and identity today. This section hosted works that use innovative and multidisciplinary languages to address the complexities of the contemporary world;
– the Historical Nucleus, which offered a broader perspective on the experiences of being “foreigners” in art history, including works and archival documents of historical relevance.

National participations and prominent debuts
The 2024 Biennale welcomed the participation of 86 nations, with four countries present for the first time: the Republic of Benin, Ethiopia, the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste and the United Republic of Tanzania. These new entries have brought a breath of fresh air and diversity, introducing unique perspectives and enriching the global panorama of the event.
Among the most popular national pavilions, those that have addressed the theme of migration in a symbolic and innovative way stand out, using performances, installations and multimedia works to involve visitors in immersive experiences.

Awards and Golden Lions
The prestigious Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement was awarded to two iconic figures of contemporary art: Anna Maria Maiolino and Nil Yalter. Both were celebrated for their revolutionary contribution in giving voice to the themes of identity and migration through a unique and radical artistic approach.

A success with the public
With over 700,000 visitors, including about 190,000 young people and students under 26, the 2024 edition demonstrated a growing interest of the new generations in contemporary art. This confirms the importance of the Biennale not only as an artistic event, but also as a tool for education and cultural dialogue.

The Biennale Arte 2024 represented a moment of profound reflection on universal and urgent issues, addressed through an artistic lens. Adriano Pedrosa’s curatorial approach gave voice to stories of exclusion, acceptance and identity, creating a bridge between different cultures and inviting the audience to reconsider the concept of belonging.
With its powerful theme and artistic selection of the highest caliber, this edition has not only left an indelible mark on the cultural landscape, but has also offered a tangible example of how art can be a vehicle for global empathy and understanding.

INFO: Biennale Arte 2024

Chiara Mattavelli