The Venice Biennale is an international art biennial exhibition held in Venice, Italy. Often described as "the Olympics of the art world", participation in the Biennale is a prestigious event for contemporary artists. The festival has become a constellation of shows: a central exhibition curated by that year's artistic director, national pavilions hosted by individual nations, and independent exhibitions throughout Venice. The Biennale parent organization also hosts regular festivals in other arts: architecture, dance, film, music, and theater.[1]
Outside of the central, international exhibition, individual nations produce their own shows, known as pavilions, as their national representation. Nations that own their pavilion buildings, such as the 30 housed on the Giardini, are responsible for their own upkeep and construction costs as well. Nations without dedicated buildings create pavilions in venues throughout the city.[1]
Organization and building
The Canadian pavilion was designed by the Italian architects BBPR and erected between 1956 and 1957. Its architecture is more distinct than the nearby pavilions. Inside, its rooms unfold in a spiral of open and closed spaces.[2]
The nation has been participating in the international exhibition since 1952.[3] The National Gallery of Canada took over the Venice selection process from the Canada Council in 2010.[citation needed]
Representation by year
Since 1952 Canada has been represented at every Venice Biennale.[4]
2019 — Isuma (curators: Asinnajaq, executive director and chief curator of the Art Gallery of Alberta CatherineCrowston, senior curator of contemporary art at the National Gallery of Canada JoséeDrouin-Brisebois, executive director and chief curator Art Museum at the University of Toronto BarbaraFischer and independent curator and writer CandiceHopkins.[18]
^Farrell, Genevieve (2018), Canada in Venice(PDF), Winnipeg, Manitoba: University of Manitoba, archived(PDF) from the original on August 1, 2019, retrieved March 4, 2021
Volpi, Cristiana (2013). "Canada". In Re Rebaudengo, Adele (ed.). Pavilions and Garden of Venice Biennale. Rome: Contrasto. p. 189. ISBN978-88-6965-440-4.
Belisle, Jean-Francoise (2007). Canadian voices at the Venice Biennale: The production of a Canadian image through the Venice Biennale between 1988 and 2005 (M.A.). Canada: Concordia University (Canada). ProQuest304782548.
Buchanan, Donald William, 1908-1966 (January 3, 1952). "Biennale of Venice welcomes Canada". Canadian Art. 9 (4): 144–147. ISSN0825-3854 – via EBSCOhost.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
Buchanan, D. W. (January 1958). "Canada builds a pavilion at Venice; with French summary". Canadian Art. 15: 29–75. ISSN0825-3854 – via EBSCOhost.
Cameron, Dorothy (December 1970). "Summer '70: the crisis of Canada international; Venice". Artscanada. 27: 41 – via EBSCOhost.
Diggon, Elizabeth (2012). The politics of cultural power: Canadian participation at the venice and São Paulo biennials, 1951-1958 (M.A.). Canada: Queen's University (Canada). ProQuest1511439409.
Legault, Rejean, ed. (2020). The Canada Pavilion at the Venice Biennale. Ottawa: 5 Continents Editions. ISBN978-88-7439-884-3.
Reesor, Carol Jane Harrison (1995). The chronicles of the National Gallery of Canada of the Venice Biennale (M.A.). Canada: Concordia University (Canada). ProQuest304249857.
