The 55th International Art Exhibition will take place in Venice from 1 June to 24 November 2013 at the Giardini and at the Arsenale and in various venues around the city, titled The Encyclopedic Palace and curated by Massimiliano Gioni. The Encyclopedic Palace will be laid out in the Central Pavilion (Giardini) and in the Arsenale forming a single itinerary, with works spanning over the past century alongside several new commissions, including over 150 artists from 37 countries. 88 National Participations will also be exhibited; among these 10 countries are participating for the first time. 47 Collateral Events will be promoted by various organizations and exhibited in different venues around the city. The award ceremony and the inauguration of the 55th Exhibition take place on Saturday 1st June. Maria Lassnig and Marisa Merz will receive Golden Lions ------------------- Read this interesting article in The Art Newpaper:

Down but not out, European countries invest in Venice Biennale pavilions: Despite cuts to culture budgets, funding for national pavilions and collateral events is in line with 2011 or has even increased.

The Eurozone may be in freefall, and governments across Europe may be slashing their culture budgets, but countries are still investing in their national pavilions at the world’s most prestigious exhibition, the Venice Biennale (1 June-24 November). In a survey of national representatives of largely European pavilions and collateral events in the Giardini and across the city, budgets for biennial projects are in line with the 54th biennale in 2011, or have even increased.

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------------------- Read about the Indonesia artists at the Biennale