Venice Biennale and Architecture Exhibition Rescheduled to 2022 and 2021 Due to Pandemic

The Venice Biennale's 59th International Art Exhibition, curated by Cecilia Alemani, has been postponed to 2022, running from 23 April to 27 November. This shift accommodates the 17th International Architecture Exhibition, titled 'How will we live together?' and led by curator Hashim Sarkis, which now opens on 22 May 2021 and closes on 21 November 2021. Organizers cited persistent difficulties from the ongoing health emergency as the reason for the delay, making it impossible to proceed within original timelines for such a complex global event. In a statement, Sarkis expressed hope that the new dates would allow participants to recover and complete their work with vigor, noting the theme's unintended relevance to the current crisis. The art biennale, established in 1895 and a key event in the art world, has seen few interruptions historically, including a six-year hiatus from 1942 to 1948 during World War II, a replacement in 1974 with events responding to Chile's Pinochet dictatorship, and a postponement of the 45th exhibition from 1992 to 1993 to align with its centenary in 1995. The architecture biennale was originally scheduled for 29 August 2020.