The 60th edition of the International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia opened to the public on 20 April. The event will run until 24 November. Below is a list of what we believe are the most remarkable events taking place as part of this year’s Biennale — the most interesting ones related to artists from Central and Eastern Europe and selected National Pavilions.
Collateral Events In Venice 2024:
The curator Adriano Pedrosa selected 30 international projects as Collateral Events at the 60th Biennale titled “Stranieri Ovunque – Foreigners Everywhere”. Like the main installations, they open their doors from April 20, preceded by preview days. These wonderfully diverse events, situated across several locations, enrich and enlarge the International Exhibitions. In this section, we present the most interesting ones related to artists from Central and Eastern Europe.
‘EX_PATRIA’
Artist: Marta Czok
Curator: Jacek Ludwig Scarso
Location: Campo Rialto Novo
The young Fondazione Marta Czok, whose programming focuses on the experience of war and migration, starts from the work of this prominent painter but also champions the relevant work of emerging and mid-career artists from around the world. ‘EX_PATRIA’, supported by the Polish Embassy in Rome, is a collection of recent and historical works by Czok centered around the ambiguous, institutionally-charged concept of homeland.
‘Andrzej Wróblewski (1927-1957) In the First Person’
Artist: Andrzej Wróblewski
Curator: Ania Muszyńska
Location: Procuratie Vecchie
This monographic exhibition of Andrzej Wróblewski, one of the most important Polish painters of the second half of the XX century, tells the story of art in times of captivity—a reflection of Wróblewski’s own experience of extreme hardships of war and loss. His work, cut short due to his premature death, remains timely; generation after generation, young artists claim the revolutionary painter as their patron. The Starak Family Foundation generously supports the exhibition.
![Andrzej Wróblewski, Self-portrait, [Self-portrait on the Yellow Background]; 1949; oil, canvas; 92 × 62 cm; Starak Collection © Andrzej Wróblewski Foundation / www.andrzejwroblewski.pl](https://static.contemporarylynx.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/1_Andrzej-Wroblewski_Self-portrait-on-the-Yellow-Background_1949_oil-on-canvas_92-×-62-cm_Starak-Collection_Courtesy©Andrzej-Wroblewski-Foundation_-688x1024.jpg)
![Andrzej Wróblewski, Martyrdom of Mothers; undated [1949]; gouache, paper; 65 × 90 cm; Starak Collection © Andrzej Wróblewski Foundation / www.andrzejwroblewski.pl](https://static.contemporarylynx.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/4_Andrzej-Wroblewski_Martyrdom-of-Mothers_undated-1949_gouache-paper_65-×-90-cm_Starak-Collection_Courtesy©-Andrzej-Wroblewski-Foundation-1024x717.jpg)
‘From Ukraine: Dare to Dream’
Selected Artist: Alex Baczyński-Jenkins
Curators: Björn Geldhof, Ksenia Malykh, Oleksandra Pogrebnyak.
Assistant Curator: Oksana Chornobrova
Location: Palazzo Contarini Polignac
This exhibition, commissioned by Antonia Majača, an extension of PinchukArtCentre’s engagement with Ukrainian art since the outbreak of war in 2022, brings together 22 artists and collectives from around the world. It enters into a conversation with the reality of climate change, escalating political extremes, and return of war to Europe. In such a critical moment, the show asks us to imagine a tomorrow of rebirth, empathy, and co-existence. It envisions a new utopia and seeks out a new beginning amidst overwhelming circumstances.
‘Locks with Leaves and Swelling Buds’
Artist: Ewa Juszkiewicz
Curator: Guillermo Solana
Location: Palazzo Cavanis
Organised by Fundación Almine y Bernard Ruiz-Picasso, this exhibition features fifteen paintings that Ewa Juszkiewicz produced between 2019 and 2024; these oil portraits of women imitate historical techniques of old, particularly those from the 18th and 19th centuries. The twist is they replace the subject’s face with a grotesque distortion. Juszkiewicz consequently challenges the very essence of portraits: hers are faceless entities—representations of women under patriarchy.
‘Passengers in transit’
Artists: April Bey, Christa David, Euridice Zaituna Kala, Joana Choumali, and Thandiwe Muriu
Curators: Paula Nascimento, Oyindamola Faithful, and Roger Niyigena Kerera
Location: 193 Gallery
This event explores the convergence between identity, memory, and place through a range of interdisciplinary practices. The artists on view blur the line between history and fiction, prompting a reflection on the processes of self-discovery and the value of respecting diversity. The representation of Black bodies in art and society is also studied, encouraging speculation on the field’s possible futures. At large, ‘Passengers in transit’ reflects diverse and tender ways of thinking about human subjectivity, language, and cross-cultural existence.
‘Cosmic Garden’
Artists: Madhvi Parekh, Manu Parekh, Karishma Swali and the Chanakya School of Craft
Curators: Maria Alicata, Paola Ugolini
Location: Salone Verde
Alongside paintings and sculptures by Madhvi Parekh and Manu Parekh, the exhibition features work created by Karishma Swali and the artisans at Chanakya School of Craft (a Mumbai-based non-profit institution devoted to unlocking the power of craft to address the challenges faced by women). ‘Cosmic Garden’ celebrates Indian female creative energy—it explores the evolution of classical craft practice into the interdisciplinary medium of hand-embroidery. At large, the show is an affirmation of the vital role of local communities in safeguarding the pluralistic beauty of Indian cultural heritage.
‘Where the Sun Sleeps’
Artist: Tincuța Marin
Jecza Gallery in collaboration with Triade Foundation, Stephenson Art and Ellen de Bruijne Projects
Location: Oratorio dei Crociferi
This evocative installation by Romanian artist Tincuța Marin, set against the Oratorio’s historical backdrop of Renaissance paintings executed by Jacopo Palma il Giovane, consists of four bronze sculptures and four paintings. Directed toward theatrical solemnity, the project creates an inviolate space within the sacred space. Marin, fascinated by Nut, the goddess of the cosmos, gestures to different visual signals from the Egyptian practice wherein still-life decompositions intersect. ‘Where the Sun Sleeps’ strikingly bridges the realms of the past and present.
Selection by Antoni Konieczny
A selection of the most interesting National Pavilions in Venice 2024.
Austrian Pavilion
‘SWAN LAKE’
Artist: Anna Jermolaewa
Curator: Gabriele Spindler
Commissioner: The Arts and Culture Division of the Federal Ministry for Art, Culture, the Civil Service and Sport of Austria
Location: Giardini
Jermolaewa emerges as a perceptive observer of human life, societal conditions, and political landscapes in her work. The showcase for the Austrian Pavilion encompasses a diverse range of themes, from Jermolaewa’s personal migration experiences to forms of non-violent resistance against authoritarian regimes. The presentation features a blend of videos, installations, luminous objects, sound, and performative elements, incorporating both newly developed works and extensions of existing pieces by the artist.
Centered on the exploration of foreign lands, migration, national identity, and cultural diversity, the exhibition spotlights artists who have personally navigated the realms of flight and migration.
Belgian Pavilion
‘Petticoat Government’
Artists: Simona Denicolai and Ivo Provoost
Curator: Antoinette Jattiot
Commissioner: Wallonia-Brussels Federation; Exhibitors: Denicolai & Provoost, Antoinette Jattiot, Nord and Speculoos
Location: Giardini
At the Biennale, Petticoat Government presents a vibrant, multidisciplinary scenario inspired by folkloric giants from communities in Belgium, France, and Spain. Embarking on performative journeys, including a traverse of the Resia Pass on March 9, 2024, and returning to Charleroi and Dunkirk in 2025, the collective injects a joyous disruption into reality. Playing with scale, tensions between the human and non-human, and the interplay of landscape and architecture, Petticoat Government celebrates the transgression of borders, offering a unique exploration of interconnected themes.
British Pavilion
Artist: John Akomfrah
Curator: Tarini Malik
Commissioner: Skinder Hundal MBE Global Director of Arts at the British Council
Location: Giardini
John Akomfrah, recently knighted in the 2023 UK Honours list, is celebrated for his impactful art films and multi-screen video installations. His body of work delves into critical issues such as racial injustice, colonial legacies, diasporic identities, migration, and climate change. Emerging in the early 1980s as a key member of the Black Audio Film Collective (BAFC), Akomfrah gained recognition with the collective’s debut film, Handsworth Songs (1986), which explored the 1985 riots in Birmingham and London. Over the years, his multichannel video works have transformed into ambitious, multi-screen installations exhibited in galleries and museums globally.
This marks Akomfrah’s return to La Biennale di Venezia, following his participation in 2019 with ‘Four Nocturnes,’ a piece commissioned for the inaugural Ghana Pavilion. The British Pavilion anticipates offering an engaging and thought-provoking experience, inviting visitors to delve into the profound narratives woven by this.
Croatian Pavilion
‘Vlatka Horvat: By the Means at Hand’
Artist: Vlatka Horvat
Curator: Antonia Majača
Commissioner: Ministry of Culture and Media of the Republic of Croatia
Location: Croatian Pavilion, Fàbrica 33
This multidisciplinary exhibition by the Croatian-born, London-based artist (recognised for investigating the relationship between the body and the physical environment) alludes to improvised transport of informal networks—of family members, friends, and strangers— activated to deliver objects to people living far abroad. The pavilion features works by artists living “as foreigners” across the world, whose contributions arrive in Venice via such informal channels. At large, the exhibition examines notions of migration and displacement.
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Portrait of Vlatka Horvat, 2024. Photo Hugo Glendinnning. -
Vlatka Horvat, Venice (at Hand) #9, 2024. Collage on inkjet photo. -
Vlatka Horvat, Venice (at Hand) #1, 2024. Collage on inkjet photo.
Czech and Slovak Pavilion
‘The heart of a giraffe in captivity is twelve kilos lighter’
Artist: Eva Kotátková (Czech Republic) (in collaboration with Himali Singh Soin, David Tappeser, Gesturing Towards Decolonial Futures and children’s and older people’s collectives) and Oto Hudec (Slovakia)
Curator: Hana Janečková (Czech Republic) and Lýdia Pribyšová (Slovakia)
Commissioner: Michal Novotný, National Gallery of Prague (Czech Republic) and Monika Krčmárik (Slovakia)
Location: Giardini, Czech and Slovak Republic Pavilion
Kotátková’s exploration delves into emotional attachment, a sense of belonging, and the intersection of politics, institutions, and the natural world. Collaborating with artists and composers Himali Singh Soin and David Tappeser, the project reflects on the complex dynamics surrounding the acquisition of animals and their place in cultural narratives.
The Czech and Slovak Republic Pavilion will also feature Oto Hudec’s ‘Floating Arboretum,’ representing the Slovak Republic, curated by Lýdia Pribyšová.
Danish Pavilion
‘Rise of the Sunken Sun’
Artist: Inuuteq Storch
Curator: Louise Wolthers
Commissioner: Danish Arts Foundation
Location: Giardini
Titled “Rise of the Sunken Sun,” this photography exhibition by Greenlandic artist Inuuteq Storch, curated by Louise Wolthers, takes center stage at the Danish Pavilion. Notably, this marks a historic moment as it is the first time the pavilion features a major exhibition by an artist from Greenland, and it also represents the pavilion’s inaugural dedication to photography.
In alignment with the overarching theme of the Biennale Arte 2024, “Stranieri Ovunque – Foreigners Everywhere,” Storch’s exhibition explores the profound concept of engaging in a decolonial process. “Rise of the Sunken Sun” delves into the pursuit of visibility, showcasing a nuanced understanding of the complexities inherent in national, cultural, and personal identities. This compelling showcase promises to bring a unique perspective to the international art stage.
Estonian Pavilion
‘Hora lupi’
Artist: Edith Karlson
Commissioner: Maria Arusoo
Location: Chiesa delle Penitenti, Fondamenta Cannaregio 890
Titled ‘Hora lupi’ (hour of the wolf), the exhibition explores a mythical time before dawn, symbolizing emergence, disappearance, and deep transformation. A vast series of hand-crafted clay self-portraits, inspired by 14th-century terracotta sculptures in Tartu, Estonia, occupies the exhibition, representing a diverse gallery of faces destined to become a memorial. Karlson’s sculptures, including anthropomorphic figures inspired by folklore and mythology, find their place in the remaining rooms of the church, where waves from passing vaporetti crash through a collapsed floor, unveiling were mermaids perched on the verge.
‘Hora lupi’ weaves an existential narrative, portraying the animalistic nature of humans with sincerity, bluntness, and a spectrum of emotions from brutality to poetics, absurdity, gentleness, and melancholy. The Estonian Pavilion at La Biennale Arte 2024, through Karlson’s lens, encapsulates a profound exploration of “our world today.
Finnish Pavilion
‘The pleasures we choose’
Artists: Pia Lindman, Vidha Saumya, Jenni-Juulia Wallinheimo-Heimonen
Curators: Yvonne Billimore & Jussi Koitela
Commissioner: Raija Koli, Frame Contemporary Art Finland
Location: Giardini
‘The pleasures we choose’ emerges as a collective endeavor, where three artists intertwine art, life, and activism. The project evolves through a collaborative exchange of shared and individual experiences, creating diverse ‘occupancies’ that invite visitors to reevaluate societal expectations. Spanning various materials and processes, including drawing, stitchwork, sculpture, and healing practices, the artists’ works are deeply informed by their embodied experiences of contemporary structural, environmental, and social imbalances.
Pia Lindman’s artworks explore atmospheres, toxicities, and materiality in different spatial and social conditions. Vidha Saumya challenges norms of aesthetics, gender, academia, and nation-state through her works. Jenni-Juulia Wallinheimo-Heimonen sheds light on the various forms of discrimination and violence faced by people with disabilities. The Finnish Pavilion promises a thought-provoking journey, offering a unique perspective on the complexities of our world through the lens of these exceptional artists.
French Pavilion
Artist: Julien Creuzet
Curators: Céline Kopp, Cindy Sissokho
Commissioner: Institut français
Location: Giardini
The French Pavilion in Venice becomes the canvas for Julien Creuzet’s exploration, where the questions raised by his works resonate deeply with the pressing concerns of our time. In a statement, pavilion organizers express that Creuzet’s horizons transcend the dichotomy between identity and universality. His artistic vision unfolds beyond conventional boundaries, demonstrating that within the folds of art, poetic and artistic echoes weave responses that are not only beautiful, joyful, and restorative but also unexpectedly profound. Visitors to the French Pavilion can anticipate a captivating journey through the artistry of Julien Creuzet, offering a unique and resonant perspective on the intricate interplay of identity and universality in contemporary society.
German Pavilion
‘Thresholds’
Artists: Yael Bartana, Ersan Mondtag
Curator: Çağla Ilk
Commissioner: Ellen Strittmatter, Head of Art Department, ifa
Location: Giardini
Second Location: At La Certosa island, Michael Akstaller, Nicole L’Huillier, Robert Lippok and Jan St. Werner will create “a resonance chamber in nature”.
The German Pavilion at the Venice Art Biennale 2024 unveils its thematic exploration under the title “Thresholds,” presenting a narrative that spans history and envisions the future through diverse artistic perspectives. “Thresholds” encapsulates the present as an impermanent space, existing only in the wake of past occurrences and in anticipation of those yet to come. For individuals marked by migration, the present is a threshold between retrospection and anticipation, intertwined with a profound spatial and physical experience at the crossroads of different affiliations.
Beyond the pavilion, “Thresholds” extends to the island of La Certosa. Artists Michael Akstaller, Nicole L’Huillier, Robert Lippok, and Jan St. Werner collaboratively create a resonant space in the natural setting of La Certosa, contrasting the monumentality of the German Pavilion while highlighting the idea of passage through a threshold space.
Hungarian Pavilion
‘Techno Zen’
Artist: Márton Nemes
Curator: Róna Kopeczky
Commissioner: Julia Fabényi, Director Ludwig Museum – Museum of Contemporary Art, Budapest
Location: Giardini
Hungary’s national pavilion at the upcoming Biennale in Venice will showcase the vibrant and abstract creations of Budapest-born, London-based artist Marton Nemes. Renowned for his colorful canvases, Nemes’s works intricately capture elements of urban architecture and subculture music scenes. For the Biennale, Nemes will unveil a large multimedia piece that ingeniously utilizes the spatial features of the Hungarian pavilion.
Nemes’s dynamic fusion of art, architecture, and multimedia is poised to offer visitors a unique exploration of urban landscapes and musical subcultures within the distinctive setting of the Hungarian pavilion.
Italian Pavilion
‘Due Qui / To Hear’
Artist: Massimo Bartolini
Curator: Luca Cerizza
Commissioner: Angelo Piero Cappello, Direttore Generale Creatività Contemporanea, Ministero della Cultura
Location: Arsenale
Italy proudly presents Massimo Bartolini as the featured artist for its pavilion at the upcoming Biennale in Venice. Born in Cecina in 1962, Bartolini is a versatile artist working across various mediums, including performance, sound, sculpture, photography, video, and large-scale public installations. His artistic journey encompasses a dynamic fusion of elements, drawing inspiration from theatre and performance.
Bartolini’s early works featured music and dancers, exploring the intricate relationship between performers, the audience, and architectural spaces. Over time, his artistic evolution led to the creation of recognizable room-size immersive installations, showcasing his ability to engage audiences on a profound and immersive level.
Latvian Pavilion
‘o day and night, but this is wondrous strange… and therefore as a stranger give it welcome’
Artist: Amanda Ziemele
Curator: Adam Budak
Commissioner: Daiga Ruzāte
Location: Arsenale
Amanda Ziemele is set to represent Latvia at the upcoming Biennale in Venice. Born in 1990, Ziemele is an emerging talent, having graduated in painting from the Art Academy of Latvia and received a postgraduate degree in Interdisciplinary and Experimental Painting from the Dresden Academy of Fine Arts.
Her project for the Latvian Pavilion, titled “o day and night, but this is wondrous strange… and therefore as a stranger give it welcome,” draws inspiration from the classic science fiction work “Flatland” (1884) by English schoolmaster and theologian Edwin A. Abbott, who wrote under the pen name Square. Ziemele’s innovative approach promises to weave a captivating narrative that resonates with Abbott’s exploration of dimensional perspectives.
Lithuanian Pavilion
‘Inflammation’
Artists: Pakui Hardware (Neringa Černiauskaitė and Ugnius Gelgua) and Marija Teresė Rožanskaitė
Curator: Valentinas Klimašauskas, João Laia
Commissioner: Arūnas Gelūnas
Location: Chiesa di Sant’Antonin, Salizada S. Antonin, 3477
Lithuania will be represented by the artist duo Pakui Hardware at the upcoming Venice Biennale. Consisting of Neringa Cerniauskaite and Ugnius Gelguda, they will craft a kinetic and immersive installation featuring works by modernist Lithuanian painter Marija Teresė Rožanskaitė. The exhibition, organized by the Lithuanian National Museum of Art under the guidance of commissioner Arūnas Gelūnas, will be curated by Valentinas Klimašauskas and João Laia. Architects Ona Lozuraitytė and Petras Išora will contribute to the spatial design.
Pakui Hardware’s art embodies an aesthetic of entanglement, exploring the interconnectedness of scientific progress, such as life extension, with the drawbacks of neoliberal biopower and the allure of scientism. The exhibition is anticipated to address “inflammations” concerning both human and planetary bodies, offering a thought-provoking exploration of these complex themes at the Venice Biennale.
Polish Pavilion
‘Repeat after Me II’
Artists: Open Group (Yuriy Biley, Pavlo Kovach and Anton Varga)
Curator: Marta Czyż
Commissioner: Bartłomiej Sienkiewicz, Minister of Culture and National Heritage
Location: Giardini
Poland has taken a surprising turn in its pavilion selection for the Venice Biennale following a political shift. With the right-wing Law and Justice party replaced by the centre-right liberal Civic Platform, Minister of Culture Bartłomiej Sienkiewicz decided to replace the original project by Ignacy Czwartos titled “Polish Exercises in the Tragedy of the World: Between Germany and Russia.” This project, featuring 35 paintings depicting violence against Poles by German and Russian aggressors, will be substituted by a new project from the Open Group.
The Open Group, a Ukrainian collective comprised of Yuriy Biley, Pavlo Kovach, and Anton Varga, previously represented Ukraine at the 56th Biennale in 2015. Their new project, “Repeat after Me II,”, is an audiovisual video installation. Known for exploring the interaction between people and contextual spaces, their work focuses on open situations, incorporating performativity and collaboration with viewers.With a background in addressing the theme of war since the Russian military operations in southeast Ukraine in 2014, the Open Group’s projects emerge from a meticulous process, intertwining various themes to create compelling and thought-provoking works.
Slovenian Pavilion
‘Garden Secret For You’
Artist: Nika Špan
Curator: Vladimir Vidmar
Commissioner: Martina Vovk
Location: Serra dei Giardini di Castello, Via Garibaldi 1254
For the Venice Biennale 2024, in collaboration with curator Vladimir Vidmar, Nika Špan’s project is framed within the historical context of Venice as an alien and unexpected element. Serving as an enigmatic entity with a distinct exterior, the project narrates its entry into the art sphere while indirectly addressing broader themes, representing an unconventional parallel within the art paradigm—an object alien to itself that shapes the experience of those who encounter it.
Nika Špan’s diverse practice revolves around the concepts of authorship, the nature of artwork, artistic practice, the question of value, and the legitimization of art. Focused on the art object, Špan engages viewers in finalizing her projects, prompting a shift in perspective rather than providing cathartic endings.
Ukrainian Pavilion
‘Net Making
Artists: Katya Buchatska, Andrii Dostliev, Lia Dostlieva, Daniil Revkovskyi, Andrii Rachynskyi, Oleksandr Burlaka
Curators: Viktoria Bavykina and Max Gorbatskyi
Commissioner: Taras Shevchenko, Deputy Minister for European Integration
Location: Arsenale, Sale d’Armi, building A, 1st floor
Ukraine’s presentation at the Venice Biennale 2024, titled ‘Net MAKING,’ is led by curators Viktoria Bavykina and Max Gorbatskyi. The project utilizes the metaphor of weaving a camouflage net to symbolize collective action.
Comprising three distinct projects employing video and installation as dominant mediums, each tackles diverse themes while converging under the overarching concept of the Biennale. The projects delve into varied human experiences, analyzing communication mechanisms and interactions with these experiences. While war is a prevalent theme, the overall focus of ‘Net Making’ is on joint action, individual and collective voices, and the communication of diverse experiences. According to Gorbatskyi, the project encapsulates a broader exploration beyond the immediate theme of war, emphasizing the importance of shared endeavors and the amalgamation of individual narratives.
Selection by Zuzanna Auguścik
