Bice Curiger Curates 54th Venice Biennale with ILLUMInations

The 54th Venice Biennale, titled ILLUMInations, is curated by Bice Curiger, a curator at Kunsthaus Zurich and co-founder of Parkett magazine. The exhibition, held at the Giardini and Arsenale, juxtaposes contemporary works with three paintings by Tintoretto, emphasizing light and national identity. Curiger selected 80 artists, including older figures like David Goldblatt, Llyn Foulkes, and James Turrell, alongside younger creators, with a strong representation of women. The show also features 'spectres' such as Gianni Colombo, Guy de Cointet, Luigi Ghirri, Sigmar Polke, and Jack Goldstein. Four invited artists—Monika Sosnowska, Franz West, Song Dong, and Oscar Tuazon—curated autonomous 'parapavilions' within the exhibition. Curiger describes the biennale as a 'mental nation' united by a shared concern for past and present, challenging modernist heritage. She emphasizes the importance of national pavilions as historical reminders, despite globalization. The exhibition aims to provoke reflection on art's role in culture, moving beyond tautology and conservatism. Curiger advocates for slow, thoughtful curation, contrasting with fast-paced cultural management.