Have you ever felt out of place? If the answer is yes, then surely your story has already been told at the 60th Venice Biennale.
With more than 331 artists from 88 countries—most from the Global South and marginalized communities—this year’s Venice Biennale marks a radical shift. Running from April 20 to November 24, 2024, across two main venues, the Giardini and the Arsenale, the exhibition takes its theme from a neon text artwork by the collective Claire Fontaine. “Foreigners Everywhere” resounds as a message of our times.
Adriano Pedrosa—the first Brazilian curator in the Biennale’s 129-year history—opened up a multi-dimensional forum on migration, estrangement, and the redefinition of identity. His words became the guiding compass of the entire exhibition:
"Wherever you go and wherever you are you will always meet foreigners… you too are – or have been – foreign to someone."
This year’s central exhibition is divided into two major artistic currents: Nucleo Storico and Nucleo Contemporaneo. Each carries its own distinct narratives, yet together they weave a multidimensional picture of global art.
Honoring 20th-century artists from Latin America, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, Nucleo Storico questions the Eurocentric focus of modern art. The works in this section not only highlight technical richness but also spark dialogues about identity, history, and cultural influence. Most notable is Kith and Kin by Archie Moore (Australia), winner of the Golden Lion at the 2024 Venice Biennale—a chalk-drawn genealogy spanning 65,000 years that portrays the history of Australia’s Indigenous peoples alongside records of deaths in detention centers.
Ersan Mondtag (Germany) presents a tragic story about his grandfather, a Turkish migrant who died from asbestos—a common industrial material used in construction that is the cause of many severe respiratory illnesses, particularly lung cancer. Through haunting artworks of enclosed rooms, Mondtag conveys the devastation of industrial legacies and their impact on future generations.
Wael Shawky, the Egyptian multimedia artist, made a powerful impression with Drama 1882, a reimagining of Arab history through the lens of anti-colonial critique and tradition. Shawky employs traditional art forms such as folk opera to evoke stories of resistance—both against colonial rule and through the preservation of Egyptian cultural identity.
In addition, Manal AlDowayan (Saudi Arabia), one of the country’s most important contemporary artists, presented a solo exhibition featuring works that combine photography, sound, and sculpture. She explores themes such as tradition, collective memory, and the role of women in Arab society.
Shadia Alem, a renowned Saudi Arabian artist, participated in the exhibition with “The Black Arch”, a work symbolizing the journey of pilgrims through a suspended black cube over a rainbow bridge, inviting viewers to move around it.
Lina Ghotmeh, the Lebanese architect, designed the Qatar Pavilion at the 2024 Biennale, emphasizing sustainability, history, and traditional materials, fused with contemporary design.
Alongside her, Lebanese visual artist Nour Jaouda presented embroidered works inspired by her grandmother’s fig tree, the poetry of Mahmoud Darwish, and natural dyeing techniques. These pieces offer a fresh perspective on contemporary embroidery while evoking a dialogue between tradition and modernity.
Nucleo Contemporaneo focuses on contemporary voices, charged with powerful emotions and diverse aesthetics. Among the standout artists is Pablo Delano (Puerto Rico), who presents photographs narrating the colonial history of Puerto Rico, exploring historical shifts and the interactions between culture and society. Delano’s works not only document reality but also sharpen social critique, highlighting untold stories from colonial communities.
Another highlight is the embroidered tapestry by Bordadoras de Isla Negra, a collective of Chilean women artists. The work not only represents craftsmanship in embroidery but also carries a powerful spirit of resurgence. The tapestry, confiscated nearly 50 years ago under Chile’s dictatorship, has now been restored to the creative space. It stands as a vivid testament to the power of art and its ability to recover historical memory and affirm the strength of women’s voices in art.
Venice Biennale 2024 is not merely a stage for big names but a welcoming ground for voices once considered exceptions. Queer artists, women, Indigenous creators, and non-mainstream collectives such as the Chilean embroidery group have stepped into the spotlight. The exhibition this year touches not only on issues of migration, queerness, and colonialism but also on personal traumas and quiet joys. This Biennale not only moves its audience but also raises profound questions about who has the right to tell stories, about empathy, and about whom art ultimately serves.
The event sold more than 700,000 tickets, 60% of which were purchased by international visitors, generating immense tourism revenue for Venice. The 19th Venice International Architecture Biennale will be held from May 10 to November 23, 2025, with architect and engineer Carlo Ratti as its appointed curator.
