72 hours in Venice

July 16th, 2024

Jeffrey Gibson’s United States Pavilion, 60th International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia, April 20 – November 24, 2024. Photograph by Timothy Schenck.

The LSSAA Venice Guide 2024

Feeling overwhelmed by the volume of art to explore in Venice this Biennale season? Check out our 3 Day LSSAA guide to every must-see moment in La Serenissima.

Buon Viaggio!

The Biennale Breakdown

Facade of the 60th Edition of the Venice Biennale “Foreigner’s Everywhere”, photo by Matteo de Mayda.

The Venice Biennale 2024 brings together powerful juxtapositions between the city's Gothic architecture and globally diverse, contemporary art, creating a unique experience. Each iteration features these three main attractions:

1) Country Pavilions

Often billed at the art world Olympics, the Biennale centers around 88 country pavilions, primarily situated in the Giardini and Arsenale. Each participating nation nominates an artist or group of artists to re-imagine the space with an immersive art installation. This year’s Golden Lion award, the Gold Medal of the Biennale, went to the Australian pavilion and artist Archie Moore.

2) Principal Exhibition “Stranieri Ovunque” / “Foreigners Everywhere”

Curated by Adriano Pedrosa, this exhibition is broken into two sections at the Arsenale and the Giardini. The Nucleo Contemporaneo in the Arsenale, highlights marginalized queer and indigenous artists, and Nucleo Storico in the central pavilion in the Giardini, showcases 20th-century modernism from the Global South.

3) Satellite Shows

Outside of the Biennale, the city of Venice becomes an treasure map of pop-up exhibitions in both private palazzi and the city’s world class museums.

Day 1: Official Biennale Tour, Giardini and Arsenale

Koo Jeong A, Korean Pavilion. Image courtesy of LSS Art Advisory.

Morning: GIARDINI

Start with the main “Foreigners Everywhere”, a group exhibition curated by Adrian Pedrosa

1.  Foreigners Everywhere Exhibition (Giardini)

• Located in the Central Pavilion at Giardini, this section titled Nucleo Storico, showcases 20th-century modernism from the Global South. 

• Highlights include: Etel Adnan, Olga De Amaral, Carmen Herrera, Tomie Ohtake, & Ione Saldanha

2. Japan Pavilion

• Artist: Yuko Mohri

3. Korean Pavilion

• Artist: Koo Jeong A

4. German Pavilion

• Artists: Yael Bartana, Ersan Mondtag, Michael Akstaller, Nicole L'Huillier, Robert Lippok, Jan St. Werner

• There is a secondary site for this pavilion on the Isola della Certosa, can be reached from the Giardini della Biennale using vaporetto line 4.1 (approx. 10 minutes)

5. French Pavilion

• Artist: Julien Cruezet

6. USA Pavilion 

• Artist: Jeffrey Gibson

7. Serbian Pavilion

• Artist: Aleksandar Denić

8. Egyptian Pavilion

• Artist: Wael Shawky

Time permitting, check out these other pavilions: 

• British Pavilion

• Artist: John Akomfrah

• Canadian Pavilion

• Artist: Kapwani Kiwanga

One part of Frieda Toranzo Jaeger, Rage Is a Machine in Times of Senselessness (2024) at the Venice Biennale. Image courtesy of LSS Art Advisory.

Afternoon: ARSENALE 

1. Stranieri Ovunque Exhibition (ARSENALE)

• The "Nucleo Contemporaneo" section of the Venice Biennale 2024, highlights the work of queer, outsider, self-taught, folk, and Indigenous artists who often face marginalization. Featured installations include a mural by the Mahku collective from Brazil and a large-scale piece by New Zealand's Maataho collective. The section also includes the Disobedience Archive, focusing on activism and gender disobedience. Overall, the exhibition explores diverse identities and the concept of the "foreigner," emphasizing artists who challenge societal norms​

• Highlights include: Leilah Babirye, Lauren Halsey, Yinka Shonibare, Emmi Whitehorse & Wang Shui  

2. Beatriz Milhazes in the Applied Arts Pavilion

• Continue your tour in the Arsenale by visiting Beatriz Milhazes' exhibition in the Applied Arts Pavilion.

Day 2: Revisit the Arsenale, San Marco, Castello, Cannaregio, and San Polo

Aravani Art Project, Diaspore, mural painting, Stranieri Ovunque, Foreigners Everywhere, 2024, image courtesy of LSS Art Advisory

Morning: REVISIT THE ARSENALE

1. Stranieri Ovunque Exhibition (ARSENALE)

• Revisit the sprawling Arsenale if you were not able to cover it on day 1

2. Rick Lowe at Museo Palazzo Grimani (Castello)

   • Check out the American artist's socially engaged abstract paintings, which reflect his innovative approach to community-building and urban transformation through art, with a particular focus on his renowned Project Row Houses initiative in Houston.

Afternoon: 

1. Julie Mehretu at Palazzo Grassi (San Polo)

• Mehretu’s artwork is in dialogue with the work by some of her closest artist friends with Nairy Baghramian, Huma Bhabha, Robin Coste Lewis, Tacita Dean, David Hammons, Paul Pfeiffer, and Jessica Rankin

2. Eva Jospin at Museo Fortuny (San Marco)

• This imaginative exhibition by the French Artist Eva Jospin uses cardboard to create an intricate, immersive world, not to be missed!

3. Shahzia Sikander at Palazzo Soranzo Van Axel (Cannaregio)

• The Pakistani-American artist Shahzia Sikander’s dynamic show blends traditional Indo-Persian miniature painting with video animations, and installations to explore identity, migration, and cultural exchange

Installation view, Rick Lowe: The Arch within the Arc, Museo di Palazzo Grimani. Photo: Matteo D'Eletto.

Day 3: Dorsoduro and San Giorgio Maggiore / Giudecca

Morning: DORSODURO

1. Breasts at Palazzo Franchetti (San Marco)

• This group exhibition probes the multifaceted cultural, social, and political significance of breasts through a diverse array of artworks, challenging perceptions and sparking dialogue about gender, identity, and body image

• Highlights include work by Louise Bourgeois, Chloe Wise, Tracy Emin, and Jenny Saville

2. Willem de Kooning at Gallerie dell'Accademia (Dorsoduro)

• Besides seeing the temporary exhibition of de Kooning, check out the highlights in the Accademia’s permanent collection: 

1. Giorgione's "The Tempest," 

2. Titian's "Presentation of the Virgin at the Temple," Giovanni Bellini's 

3. Madonna and Child Enthroned with Saints," 

4. Tintoretto's "The Miracle of the Slave,"

5. Vittore Carpaccio's "St. Jerome and His Study."

3. Nigerian Pavilion at Palazzo Canal (Dorsoduro)

• The "Nigerian Imaginary" exhibition presents a vibrant collection of contemporary Nigerian art, featuring a large ceiling mural by Tunji Adeniyi-Jones, and other immersive works by Yinka Shonibare, Precious Okoyomon and Njideka Akunyili Crosby.

4. Jean Cocteau at Peggy Guggenheim Museum (Dorsoduro)

• The highlights in the Peggy Guggenheim’s permanent collection include: 

1. Pablo Picasso's "The Poet," 

2. Jackson Pollock's "Red Painting," 

3. René Magritte's "The Empire of Light," 

4. Constantin Brâncuși's "Bird in Space," 

5. Louise Bourgeois's "Maman,"

Time permitting, check out these other pavilions: 

Pierre Huyghe at Punta della Dogana (Dorsoduro)

• Visit if you have additional time

• Huyghe, known for his experimental, multimedia approach, blends film, and immersive installation to create  a dynamic environment where the boundaries between reality and fiction blur.

Armenian Pavilion (Magazzino del Sale No.3)

• Visit the Armenian Pavilion if you have additional time

• Artist: Nina Khemchyan

Installation views of Yinka Shonibare, Monument to the Restitution of the Mind and Soul, 2023, From “Nigeria Imaginary.” Pavilion. Image courtesy of LSS Art Advisory.

Afternoon: SAN GIORGIO MAGGIORE / GIUDECCA

Make your way to the island of San Giorgio Maggiore via vaporetto or water taxi.

1. Berlinde de Bruyckere at Abbazia San Giorgio Maggiore

• The Belgian artist's collection of sculptures and installations employs materials such as wax, wood, and textiles to craft hauntingly lifelike figures, fostering a profound dialogue with the spiritual and architectural essence of the millennia-old abbey

• Don’t miss Tintoretto’s Last Supper located in the Chapter Hall next to the main altar 

2. Alex Katz  + Chun Te-Chen at Fondazione Giorgio Cini

• Set against the backdrop of the historic Giorgio Cini Foundation, the exhibition juxtaposes Katz's minimal landscapes and portraits with the timeless grandeur of the Venetian architecture, creating a bold contrast that underscores the enduring relevance of his art

• While on San Giorgio Maggiore make your way to the very back of the island for Chun Te-Chun show, a hidden highlight in Venice.

3. Holy See Pavilion (Giudecca)

• The Vatican’s pavilion offers a unique intersection of art and religion, showcasing works that explore spiritual and ethical themes from a global perspective, set against the backdrop of a historic women’s prison

• This pavilion requires reservations in advance, we would recommend booking asap at the link HERE

Additional Tips:

• Tickets: Purchase a Biennale pass that covers both Giardini and Arsenale to save time and money.

• Transport: Use the vaporetto (water bus) for convenient transportation between different areas of Venice. You can also hire a water taxi, which would be especially convenient to get to San Giorgio Maggiore, the Giudecca & Isole della Certosa.

• Plan Ahead: Check the opening times and any special events for the pavilions and satellite shows you wish to visit.

Berlinde De Bruyckere, “City of Refuge III,” Abbazia di San Giorgio Maggiore, Venice/IT, April 20 – November 24, 2024. Image courtesy of LSS Art Advisory.

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And with that, your whirlwind of Biennale wonder draws to a close. Here’s to making the most of your 3 days in Venice!