Page 27 - The Venice Biennale 2001 issue of World of Art Magazine
P. 27

PAolo BArAttA is the President oF the Biennale di venezia









              addRess of                       which opens the way to more      costing 4.5 billion lire, this three-
                                               long-term planning in these three   year project will involve the
              PResident
                                               sectors.                         reclassification of the collections
              PaoLo BaRatta                      The Biennale di Venezia is     and extensive digitalization.
                                               also establishing an increasing    In the meantime, the collection
                                               number of agreements with other   continues to grow, accumulating
                        n 9 June the 49th      institutions (universities,      material relating to all the various
                        International          foundations, etc.) and of co     activities of the Biennale di Venezia   49. biennale di Venezia
                 OExhibition of Visual         production agreements with       - an accumulation in which the
              Arts of the Biennale opens its   artistic bodies and theatres.    Biennale offices have been assisted
              doors under the direction of     Extended planning capacity is also   by Tele+ (Cinema) and RaiSat
              Harald Szeemann, who takes this   essential if we are to promote   (other Sections).
              year’s show as a further         new links with the public and      Communication with the public
              development upon the 48th        establish new forms of dialogue   is also changing. The website in
              Exhibition of 1999.              with potential sponsors. Dialogues   particular has grown very quickly;
                 I would like to take this     are currently in progress with   and now one can see it becoming
              opportunity to tell you that 2001   important bodies both in Italy and   an important portal for a whole
              is a year of key importance in   abroad.                          range of activities in the arts.
              the realization of the strategic   Where possible, the Biennale di   These organizational
              objectives the new Biennale di   Venezia has also worked to create   developments have been the basis
              Venezia has set itself, both at an   new well-equipped structures and   for further developments within
              organizational and artistic level.  spaces to serve as both exhibition   the interdisciplinary work of the
                 As far as the former is       and theatre facilities. In 2001 it is   Biennale itself. The term
              concerned, there has been an     envisaged that a further 6-7     “interdisciplinary” is not in our
              extension of planning capacity,   billion lire (2 million pounds)   case a fashionable catchphrase; it
              which is indispensable if the    will be invested in the Arsenale   refers to the fact that overlapping
              Biennale di Venezia is to play an   restoration -primarily in providing   areas of interest emerge as each
              active role in its various fields   better facilities for the performance  of various Sections of the Biennale
              of activity, and at the same time   and exhibition spaces created by   works in its own specific field
              develop closer links with external   the restoration of two years ago.  (whether collecting and exhibiting
              organizations and bodies.          2001 is also the year of the   the works of others, or producing
                 A significant move in this area   starting of the first part of the   works “in house”). It is significant
              has been the creation of a single   special project involving ASAC   here that the first multi-sectorial
              unit for Dance, Music and Theatre,  (our important Archive collection),   project of 2001 - “Shakespeare




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