“Crossing” at the Bienale of Venice

The 53rd edition of the Bienale of Venice started Sunday, on the 7th of June, hosting among other guests a group of Albanian artists, such as Robert Aliaj Drago, Artan Shabani, Eliza Hoxha, Klodian Deda and Venera Kastrati. These artists are described as responsible for a part of the independent project “Crossing”.
On the importance of this bi-annual international exhibition, Venera Kastrati says that “The Bienale of Venice is the oldest international exhibit institution in the world, anchoring its first edition in 1895, though the “golden age” of the Bienale was reached from after the Second World War, up to 1968. Nowadays, besides the Bienale of Venice, you have numerous other manifestations for the art world, like those held in San Paolo, Johannesburg, Istanbul, Seoul, Cuba, Cassel and Munster. The Bienale of Venice remains however an important event, where different experiences meet at the institutional level, and where “newest artistic tendencies” can be verified or validated. The whole world of art still meets at the Bienale. “I Giardini” (The Gardens), where typically are presented the national stands and the “Arsenale” (The Arsenal) (opened since the eighties) which are the main locations of the event. Besides them are other locations where you can encounter other national presences or other connected “official” events, which this year amount to 44. One of these events is “Crossing” (where I participate with my latest project called “Sensation Seekers”), which takes place in a magnificent and highly significant spot. This is Forte Marghera [a fortress], seated in a strategic area which creates a link between Venice and Mestra, between the mainland and the laguna, in a physical transformation from a military machine to a public location with special historical value” (Shqip, 2.06.2009).
The Bienale will end on the 22nd of November.