Paolo Baratta Reflects on 20 Years as President of La Biennale di Venezia

Paolo Baratta, president of La Biennale di Venezia since 1999, discusses his two-decade tenure in an interview with Artribune. He highlights key innovations: the shift to a single curated international exhibition (Aperto) in 1999, the restoration of 55,000 square meters at the Arsenale, and the appointment of a single curator to oversee the main show. Baratta emphasizes the importance of institutional autonomy, achieved through the 1998 reform, and notes that the number of participating countries grew from 57 to 90. He defends the model of national pavilions, which he revitalized by encouraging countries to appoint rotating curators rather than permanent commissioners. Baratta addresses criticisms about the lack of Italian artists in the international exhibition, arguing that the Italian Pavilion remains vital. He also discusses the impact of the art market's financialization, the growth in visitors (now approaching one million), and the Biennale's expansion into Mestre and Forte Marghera. Baratta expresses regret over insufficient funding for dance, theater, and music sectors. He outlines qualities for a future president: loyalty to the institution, respect for curatorial autonomy, and a balance of concreteness and utopian vision. The interview covers Baratta's initial appointment by Minister Walter Veltroni in 1998, his brief interruption in 2001, and his return in 2008 after a public petition gathered 4,500 signatures.