What to see in Venice

Venice’s Biennale is an international contemporary art exhibition celebrated every two years. The first edition was celebrated on April 30th 1895. Among the artistic subjects that it encompasses we find visual arts, contemporary music, theatre, dance, film and architecture.

But let’s concentrate on the International Venice Film Festival (Mostra Internazionale d’Arte Cinematografica di Venezia). It’s a film festival that takes place every year in the Palazzo del Cinema, which is where they present the films that are entered in the contest. Although the festival is every year, it’s framed inside what’s known as the Biennale.

It will take place from the 31st of August until the 10th of September and there you’ll be able to enjoy great films by acclaimed directors and well-known actors.

Among the awards that are given there is the Golden Lion, which the jury gives to the best film. The Silver one goes to the best director and for the Great Prize of the Jury. To the best actor and actress they give the Coppa Volpi (Volpi Cup).

They also award various Golden Lions to different people of the film world as recognition for their contribution.

This festival is considered a ‘Category A’, being credited by the International Federation of the Cinematographic Producers Association (FIAPF) together with other well-known ones such as the ones from San Sebastián, Berlin and Cannes among others.

The Festival has already revealed the presidents of its juries. For the Competition section, the most important is the American director, writer and producer Darren Aronofsky. For the Orizzonti section it will be the Thai filmmaker Apichatpong Weerasethakul. For the Luigi de Laurentiis Prize to the best prime opera it’s Carlo Mazzacurati and for the Controcampo Italiano section it will be the Italian film director Roberta Torre.

Regarding the winners of the honorific Gold Lion it’s already known that they’re going to be awarded to Marco Bellocchio because, to quote the jury, he is “one of the biggest and most influential filmmakers of the last few decades in Italy”. Some of the most famous films of this director are In the name of the Father (1971), Marcia Trionfale (1975), The Conviction (1990), The Nanny (1998), My Mother’s Smile (2002), Good Morning, Night (2003) or Vincere (2009). After the prize award, a presentiation of the new unedited version of In the Name of the Father will take place with the original film material.

The American actor Al Pacino will receive the Jäger-LeCoultre award. It will be in a gala on the 4th of September which will precede the world premiere of his third film as a director, the documentary Wilde Salome, based on the life of Oscar Wilde.

The opening of the festival will take place on the 31st of August with the presentation of the world premiere of the latest George Clooney film, The Ides of March, written and directed by himself, which will run for the Golden Lion. It’s Clooney’s fourth film as a director after Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (2002), Good Night and Good Luck (2005) and Leatherheads (2008).

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Visit the city of the canals and don’t miss out on going to the 68th edition of the International Venice Film Festival which is celebrated in the Palazzo del Cinema from the 31st of August until the 10th of September. And after enjoying the films, relax by renting apartments in Venice

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Translated by: aleixgwilliam
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Frenchman Jean Henri Fabre (1823-1915) was one of the most famed, and prestigious entomologists of his time, which was a period of extensive studies in natural history, and material sciences. The development of scientific knowledge, which revolutionised the cosmo-vision of the world, especially in the wake of the work carried out by Charles Darwin, infiltrated all corners of culture and art by the end of the century. We only need refer to the preoccupation of the Art Nouveau movement with the curves and contours of nature – or how biological theory was applied, all be it in an unfortunate way, to the worlds of politics and history.

It’s not so surprising then that a few of Jean Henri Fabre’s books, in particular the one dedicated to the life of flies, were such bestsellers. Passing from one century to the next, the influence of his passion for insects would travel down to the most famous of his great-grandchildren; the Flemish artist, choreographer and theatre director, Jan Fabre, some of whose best known works (such as The Beekeeper, 1998) consist of the design of dresses, and shrouds made from thousands of shells of different types of beetles, with the colour green being a particular favourite. Fabre is an example of somebody who passionately believes there are always still exciting, alluring links to be made between art and science.

Fabre’s beetle shirts have a precedent though, from the time of his great-grandfather. The famous green dress, as worn by legendary actress Ellen Terry as she played the role of Lady Macbeth in 1888, depicted in the well-known John Singer Sargent painting which hangs in the Tate Britain was in fact made from around 1000 beetle wings. Perhaps it was the indescribable chemistry between actress and dress which prompted Oscar Wilde to declare that, after seeing her leave a taxi, the grey street where he had seen the “vision of Lady Macbeth sat in a four wheel car dressed as a queen”, would never again be just any old street.

Insects, a symbol of the metamorphosis (beetles and flies being particularly evocative of the decomposing body of Christ), take centre stage in this latest, controversial work from Jan Fabre, on until the 16th of October at the New School of Santa María de la Misericordia (http://www.janfabre.be/Pages/Invitation.php), which coincides with the Venice Bienale. It is a revision of the famous Piety by Michaelangelo, made also from Carrara marble, where Mary presents the skull of the dead, and Jesus, carrying in his right hand the brain (“the neurones which make compassion“) of Jan Fabre himself.

Paul Oilzum

A really memorable work which offers to the public the chance to “concentrate one’s attention on the body, as a point of crystallization between life, death and the resurrection.” Try it out when you rent apartments in Venice

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Translated by: Poppy
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On 4 June, in the Jardines del Castillo, the French Pavilion will inaugurate the work of an artist who has explored the relationship between art and history through archive: Christian Boltanski. The reason for the profound connection between this artist and politics is biographical: Boltanski was born in a family marked by the holocaust in 1944 (Paris), just before the end of the Second World War. He was self educated, and began to paint when he was very young, as early as 1958. In an interview he once said that between 1969 and 1971 he had dedicated himself to reconstructing his childhood using photographs.

He became known towards the end of the 60s for his avant-garde short films and then later for his films and sculptures, although what brought him most fame were his installations, thanks to his use of archives as a device for preserving historical memory that should never be lost. In the 70s he also dedicated himself to reconstructing objects that had belonged to him between 1948 and 1954.

His installations develop the theme of absence and Boltanski makes it clear that every absence is the scar of an earlier presence, of something that has disappeared (or, in this case, that has been made to disappear) and left behind a vacuum, a hollow space full of marks, traces and signs which must be recovered in order to reconstruct what was almost erased from history. But, what is an archive? An archive consists of a gathering of what remains, of those traces that can help us rebuild the lost narratives, as photographs, used clothing or objects and documentation can be. Each one is, and represents, a mark of an absence.

It is interesting to note with this artist how reality and the will to preserve the history of forgetting are continually mixed with fiction. There is a degree of intervention in the reality of the events described, so that without subverting said events, Boltanski opens an important reflection about the nature of history: each event, seen from the perspective of Boltanski, becomes narration, and each narration is something independent from the way things have happened, since the spectator-narrator work of reconstruction can in no way be objective. It could be said that an installation that is comprised of a series of objects cannot be an interpretation in itself, yet the selection itself defines what we can or cannot see. In this sense, each time we see an image we might think that all that is not shown in it is being hidden from us.

Boltanski will represent France in the 54^th Venice Biennale with the work entitled “Chance”, in which he will address the theme of chance: its power and unfathomable laws. For the duration of the Biennale you can access a version of the piece at: www.boltanski-chance.com

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If you are passionate about art and history then we recommend you rent apartments in Venice and go and enjoy “Chance” at the Venice Biennale.

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Translated by: Ben Palmer
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“Make art not war” says a poster with blue capital letters that hangs from a wall in my house. It is to be sent to Bice Curiger, the curator of the Venice Biennial 2011, who asks: “If art were a country, what would its constitution state?” This year the 83 invited artists to the International Exhibition of Art in Venice exhibit under the title ILLUMinations and demonstrate why this event is “one of the most important forums for knowledge and illumination of the new developments in international art”, says Curiger. From June the 4^th until November the 27^th, art, architecture, cinema, dance, music and theater will inundate the city of canals.

Every two years, the cats that come to the public park Giardini in Venice have to share their territory. Besides the Arsenal and other places in the city, this space is transformed into an exhibition stage to install new national pavilions, in addition to the 29 permanent ones. The 54^th edition welcomes new countries like Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh, Haiti and Andorra. Other countries will participate again after many years of absence, such as India, Cuba, South Africa, Costa Rica, Iraq or Zimbabwe. If art were a country, its constitution would value the gender equality: this year 32 women will participate. And that country called Art would have as a motto “Youth is future”: 32 young artists, born after the year 1975, will participate in this edition as well. The program also highlights the organization of 37 events. Nothing will be missing to be illuminated.

Imitating Harrison Ford in “Indiana Jones and the last crusade”, the lovers of the Seventh Art usually take pictures of themselves in front of the church that appears in the movie, located in Campo San Barnaba. It is even better to enjoy the 68^th edition of the Venice International Film Festival, which takes place from August the 31^st to September the 10^th in Lido, an island located 10 minutes from the city by vaporetto. As Cannes’, Berlin’s or San Sebastian’s, the Venice Film Festival is one of the most prestigious in the world. Every year it awards the best film production with the Golden Lion, won in 2010 by Sofia Coppola for her drama “Somewhere”.

The Venice Biennial is also about dance. The Arsenale della Danza or International Contemporary Dance Festival (from May the 11^th to June the 25^th) is the perfect opportunity to discover the most innovative works of current choreographers. The artistic menu is complete: you will be able to choose between the International Architecture Exhibition, the Contemporary Music Festival and the Theater Festival program organized by the Catalan artist Alex Rigola. Since 1895 the gondolas, St Mark’s Square or the charming narrow streets of Venice have remained in the background during several months. Instead, the workshops, performances, pavilions, bookshops and awards have made the city a destiny where innovation prevails.

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All in all, this is an ideal event to make a tour for the Venice landmarks and discover every facet of the international artistic production. Rent apartments in Venice and enjoy a unique stay!

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Translated by: Hans
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The 12th Venice Architecture Biennale opens on 29 August, under the curatorial direction of Kazuyo Sejima. This Biennial features work from 56 countries and highlights 43 projects and also features debates and dialogue on the architectural work.

The 12th Venice Architecture Biennale opens on 29 August and enjoys the participation of more than 56 countries, and shows off more than 43 projects carried out by studios, architects, engineers and artists. The central theme of this edition will be a “mutual match” between architecture and society, as explained by the director of the Biennial, the Japanese architect Kazuyo Sejima.

Winner of the 2010 Pritzker Prize, the highest distinction in the discipline worldwide, her curatorial notes highlight the rapid evolution that characterizes the twenty-first century, and incite attendants to “imagine the direction in which society moves And the dreams that may take place in the future ”

Sections are arranged by country, cantered around the classic halls of the Gardens of the Arsenal in the historic centre of Venice. Visitors who rent apartments in Venice may see the city of channels in a new light.

Projects displayed will be marked by what Sejima a so-called “personal interpretation” of the Biennale’s theme. Works by the Venezuelan architect Christian Kerez have been designed to interact with the public and invite reflection and meditation.

Moreover, there is an overwhelming desire to foster space for reflection on architecture, and the biennale has been organized with a full roster of parallel activities. A series of discussions and collaborations with several Italian and European universities will be conducted.

In the seminars, a space that has been titled ‘I Sabati dell’architettura’ (‘The Saturday of architecture’), gives attendants a space to meet architects, critics and personalities from the sector. Among the guests, you will find Vittorio Gregotti, Aldo Rossi, Hans Hollein and Massimiliano Fuksas. The 12th Venice Architecture Biennale runs until November 21st.

Very often most art exhibitions are based on only one kind of art and offer you, for example, either paintings or contemporary works. Unfortunately we can barley enjoy a mix of different artistic styles. It seems to be that Venice, one of the most important romantic cities in Italy, keeps all your cultural and artistic preferences in mind and offers you one of the biggest and most extensive art festivals of the world: The Venice Biennale 2009.

This year will be the 53rd edition of the Biennale in Venice. It’s a prestigious international exhibition which attracts millions of visitors and artists from all over the world. This important cultural event takes place every two years in Venice and the art festival was founded by the Venetian town hall in the year of 1893. Two years later it was officially inaugurated. In spite of the interruptions due to the terrible World Wars, the festival has become one of the most important international art festivals in the world. This year’s edition has already begun, but don’t panic, you’ll have time until November to submerge into the world of creativity and art in Venice.

We aren’t talking about a normal exposition where you’re getting bored after having seen everything within two seconds. It’s quite the opposite: the festival offers you all that you can dream of, starting with visual arts and contemporary music, film projections and poetry to theatre, architecture and contemporary dance, etc. The programme list seems to be infinite and it provides special events for each taste and interest. As you can see, your expectations will be completely satisfied.

The theme of this edition is Making worlds, a spectacular art exposition in the Palazzo delle Esposizioni in Giardini and in Arsenale. The exposition stands out especially because of the participation of many countries which are represented by different pavilions. This year you will see a huge exhibition, condensed by the breath-taking works of over 90 creative artists from all parts of the world into an amazing exhibition. With this concept the festivals director Daniel Birnbaum aims to pay more attention to the process of creation. So, he has transformed the area in a unique exhibition centre for the artistic world.

The Biennale Cinema is also part of this spectacular festival full of emotion. This year the 66th edition of the International Venice Film Festival will be celebrated. Different awards will be given in various categories, like the Leone d´Oro for the best film, the Leone d´Argento for the best director or the Premio Marcello Mastroianni for the best young talent. The best actor and the best actress will be given the famous Copa Volpi. According to the FIAPF (Fédération Internationale des Associations de Producteurs de Films) the International Venice Film Festival belongs to the category “A” and is hence comparable with the Film Festivals of Berlin, Cannes, San Sebastian or Karlovy Vary.

The Biennale Danza waits for you with the spectacular programme Degree Zero and the amazing international colloquium of contemporary dance, which unites the best and most famous dancers of the world, like Carolyn Carlson, Tero Saarinen, Chris Harina or Michael Clark.

Under the motto The body of the Biennale Musica will captivate you with 73 breath-taking composers in over 87 fantastic concerts. Biennale Teatro will enchant you as well with all the interesting actuations, performances and theatre workshops.

The Venice Biennale 2009 shows you a completely new world full of creativity, emotions and unknown feelings. Let yourself be guided by your instinct and rent comfortable apartments in Venice. Your holidays will be an unforgettable experience.