The 53rd International Art Exhibition closed on Sunday 22nd November with a record number of visitors: 375,702 visitors (319,332 in the previous edition, increase of 18%) with an average daily visitor number of 2.223

Exceptional media coverage: 5,868 accredited journalists (5,691 in the previous edition), and 104 television channels from around the world.

Extraordinary presence of young audiences and students, totalling 132,185
The 53rd Exhibition saw the participation of an unprecedented number of national entries (77) and collateral events (44)

Venice, November, 24th 2009 – With a record-breaking number of visitors the 53rd International Art Exhibition Fare Mondi // Making Worlds directed by Daniel Birnbaum and organized by the Biennale di Venezia, chaired by Paolo Baratta, closed its doors on November 22nd. The Exhibition was inaugurated on June 6th by Italy’s President, Giorgio Napolitano.

There was a total of 375,702 visitors to the Exhibition (compared to 319,332 in 2007 an increase of 18%), which was held in the exhibition sites of the Giardini and the Arsenale. During the 24 weeks of its running time, the 53rd Exhibition was constantly at the top of the rankings of the most-visited exhibitions in Italy, with a daily average of 2,223 visitors and record numbers during the weekends of 9,761 people. 132,185 students visited the 53rd Exhibition, either individually or in groups.

The 2009 Biennale has attracted a record number of 77 national participations and 44 collateral events, held throughout Venice.

Among the successful novelties was the renewed Italian Pavilion which doubled the exhibition space for the Italian national participation, marking a turn in the relevance of the participation of the Italian artists. Moreover, the Venice Pavilion, promoted by Regione del Veneto, was this year dedicated to Venetian glass art, thus reintroducing the original tradition of dedicating this space also to the applied arts.

26,943 visitors made use of the services of the educational activities (an increase of 25% on 2007), of which 3,551 adolescents (+ 48%). 1,817 students participated in workshops organized in the schools, and 1,213 children joined the educational events held in different venues / Italian cities – throughout the Veneto.

During the 53rd Exhibition two international online competitions have been organized, one for the most significant photograph of a contemporary art work, one for the best video made using a mobile telephone. These were arranged through the new interactive website called Biennale Channel (www.labiennalechannel.org). Inaugurated in June 2009, it has been set up to attract young audiences in Italy and abroad, encouraging creativity and an interest in the contemporary arts. On November 6th the prizes were awarded to the winners of the two competitions by the jury composed of the Biennale President, Paolo Baratta, the Exhibition Director, Daniel Birnbaum, and of the photographer Gabriele Basilico.

The catalogue of the 53rd Exhibition is published by Marsilio.

La Biennale wishes to thank the Italian Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities for the ongoing support of its institutional activities; the Marina Militare; and the Ministry of Public Works – Magistrato delle Acque for the realization of the new entrance of the Arsenale via the Ponte dei Pensieri, which has significantly improved the circulation between the exhibition venues, as apparent in the consistent number of passages of up to 1,300 visitors per day.

Further support for the realization of the 53rd International Art Exhibition was provided by Enel (main sponsor), Aci-Automobile Club d’Italia, Foscarini, Nivea, Artek, Micromegas, Casamania, Matteograssi, Bisazza, Illy, Link, Mediacontech, B Broker and Besserat de Bellefon. We also wish to thank Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP.

Moreover, the realization of the Exhibition would not have been possible without the contribution of an extraordinary number of institutions and private entities. In particular, the support of the LUMA Foundation allowed the creation of three permanent spaces at the Palazzo delle Esposizioni, the shop, the café and an educational space commissioned from three international artists. The exhibition catalogue states the long list of the institutions and private entities, among them numerous foundations, whose generous donations made possible the production of many works realized for the Exhibition. Their support of La Biennale di Venezia opens a new path which common objective is the quality of the exhibition programming and the development of new projects.

Leading media reported widely on the consolidation of the Art Biennale, also achieved by major structural improvements at the Giardini (the new Palazzo delle Esposizioni and the reopening of the Biennale Library – ASAC), at the Arsenale (new Italian Pavilion, new entry towards Castello) and in Venice (Ca’ Giustinian, the new open “house” of La Biennale thanks to the Comune di Venezia).

5,868 journalists visited the exhibition during the preview (June 3rd to 6th) and the 169 days of its running time, out of which 3,986 non-Italian and 1,882 Italian press (the total number of journalists in 2007 was 5,691). 104 television teams were accredited (66 foreign and 38 Italian), securing the presentation of the 53rd Exhibition in all leading international news programs. The wide press coverage so far comprises 3,155 articles, compared to 2,366 in the last edition (an increase of 33%).

Following some comments from national and international press:

“This 53rd edition has seen an improvement of all aspects of the exhibition organization” (Corriere Della Sera, Gillo Dorfles, June 10th 2009)
“The Biennale di Venezia is a glimpse of the future. This year it’s the biggest yet and shows no signs of being daunted by the financial downturn” (The Times, Martin Gayford, June 6th 2009)
The Biennale requested the artists to make worlds and thus rediscovers the image. […] in the Arsenale the exhibition flowers to its full, pinching itself into every brick, exuberantly growing into a Gesamtkunstwerk (Süddeutsche Zeitung, Kia Vahland, June 6th 2009)
“A case of luck: The Venice Biennale helps the art to an exhilarating performance“ (Die Zeit, Hanno Rauterberg, June 10th 2009)
“As usual, the Biennale di Venezia is the most eagerly awaited exhibition in the world of international art. This because despite its age and the vast number of art events throughout the world, the Biennale remains the most prestigious” (L’Express, Annick Colonna-Césari, June 7th 2009)
“[…] Birnbaum couples pleasure with insight. The high level of professionalism in the overall installation of the Arsenale—no mean achievement in this finacially strapped climate–is unprecedented." (Artforum International, Lynne Cooke, September 2009)

For Further Information
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