Running alongside the Venice Biennale, these exhibitions feature works by Asian artists or artists of Asian origin, from MF Husain to Zeng Fanzhi
With the 60th edition of Venice Biennale opening on April 20, it’s safe to say the art world has descended upon Italy’s city of canals. Along with the presentation of national pavilions, the main exhibition at this year’s show is Foreigners Everywhere, curated by Adriano Pedrosa, the artistic director of the São Paulo Museum of Art.
While Venice Biennale serves as the primary attraction for Venice-bound art enthusiasts and general tourists alike during this time, for a true immersion into Venice’s rich art scene, it’s worth checking out some of the other ongoing exhibitions which run parallel to the biennale.
Often installed in historic venues such as former palazzos and medieval churches, these shows are a must-visit if you find yourself in Venice this summer. This year, the Asian presence in Venice is even larger, with several Asian institutions staging special exhibitions running alongside the biennale. Here are our picks of seven best exhibitions featuring artists from Asia or of Asian descent to check out in Venice.
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Primarily known for putting her own distinctive post-colonial and feminist twist on South Asian miniature painting, Pakistani American artist Shahzia Sikander made a splash last year with her public project Havah . . . to breathe, air, life (2023), which featured two female sculptures, one emerging from a lotus on top of the Courthouse of the Appellate Division, First Department of the Supreme Court of the State of New York and another in similar figure in Madison Square Park.
This year, the artist’s work will be featured in the Collective Behavior exhibition and is divided into three parts, each tracing her career trajectory. The first is Point of Departure, which examines her origins in miniature painting, the second is called The Feminine Space and it addresses the artist’s exploration of gender and body politics in her work, the third is Negotiated Landscapes and Contested Histories, which surveys her artistic response to South Asia’s complex colonial legacy.
Together, the three segments are the most comprehensive presentation of the artist’s work thus far, and is co-organised by the Cincinnati Art Museum and the Cleveland Museum of Art, which will show an iteration of the Venice exhibition in 2025.
Palazzo Soranzo Van Axel, April 20-October 20
