55th International Art Exhibition
The Encyclopedic Palace
1 June – 24 November 2013
Venezia (Giardini and Arsenale)

http://www.labiennale.org/en/arte/news/25-10.html

After the missed participation in the previous edition, this will be the first Biennale di Venezia where it will take part also the Holy See.

Let us skip the polemics which see the presence of a religious power in this context as the intrusion of an orthodox and conservative mentality not really adequate, if not harshly contrasting, with the ineluctable heretical deviance proper of contemporary Art. Are we wanting to make also a Taliban Pavilion? But, please do not put that claws on Art and on the few artists still free, thanks.

Let us skip also my opinion for if it is true that a national pavilion should represent a nation, then it should exhibit only artists that are aboriginal of its territory and not artists of all the world just because united by ideologies or thematics. In fact, the Vatican Pavilion will present some ten artists from as many world countries as much as with the years it has been consolidated the habit to host artists of nations differing from the hosting one. What would the Holy See show if could count only on artists from the Vatican State?
So by now, what is the meaning of subdividing the Biennale into national pavilions if they do not follow this simple rule anymore?
I would not call it Vatican Pavilion, but Roman Catholic Church Pavilion: simple propaganda of some power, as much as it could be a NATO Pavilion, a Democratic Party Pavilion or a Godlman-Sachs Pavilion.

And let us skip also that in the previous edition “ILLUMInations” there have been subtle hints to occult esoteric powers (read the review) which could have been the prelude to what will be presented in the next edition that has the as much obscure title of “Encyclopedic Palace”, which seems to be custom tailored for the presence of the Holy See (palace as power and encyclopedic as orthodox divulgation).

But, let us skip all: let Art of the free Artist prove its immense altruism, that after all is much more higher than that of those who for centuries have persecuted and slaughtered who had different thoughts, the diverse, such as free thinkers and hence artists.

At least, the next Biennale di Venezia could reveal itself as extremely interesting indeed to see the reactions of the contemporary art world to this “alien” presence, from which it may rise very amusing initiatives and tricks and maybe also some disorders.
It could reveal itself as an all-time Biennale, not to be missed, so, although i already overeaten in the last edition, it is possible that i will visit it again.

Mind the white and yellow!