The Venice Biennale – A must if you can make it

I haven’t checked to see if the Venice Biennale is on the list of “1000 Place to See Before You Die” book, but it should.

The 2007 exhibition is the 52nd of such to held in Venice every two years. The first one happened in 1895 and has been promoting contemporary and modern art ever since.

It is an inspiring exhibit that touched us to the core when we visited with the kids two years ago. Whether we loved what we saw, hated it, rolled our eyes or were in awe, this was an impactful experience for the kids (ok, for us too) who still talk about it regularly.

This 52nd International Art Exhibition will take place from June 10 to November 21, 2007 and will display the works of about 100 artists and groups. The theme, “Think with the Senses – Feel with the Mind”, is predicated on the conviction that art is now, as it has always been, the means by which humans are made aware of the whole of their being.

The exhibition venues are held in the Italian Pavilion and the national pavilions at the Giardini, as well as the Corderie, the Artiglierie and other venues at the Arsenale. Besides these main exhibit areas, Venice is dotted with impromptu venues. We fondly remember walking into a dark repurposed renaissance church, taking off our shoes and walking to the center of the building and then lie on colorful mattresses to watch the video display on the ceiling. Where else could we have done this?