29/11/2009 - INTERNATIONAL BIENNIAL OF CONTEMPORARY ART - CITTA 'DI FIRENZE

Among the people, when talking about art, we often hear that Florence is too anchored in the returns arising from its Renaissance treasures, and who lives too much in the past and almost nothing in the present. Perhaps because not everyone knows that, in Florence, takes place one of the biggest events of international significance and is dedicated to contemporary art, in its many facets. This year marked its seventh year, the Biennale Internazionale d'Arte Contemporanea in Florence presents over 650 artists from around the world (over 80 nations represented), in the picturesque setting of Fortezza da Basso (December 5 to 13). The exhibition will welcome more than 2,500 works, ranging from art painting to sculpture, digital art installations, selected by an international scientific committee, which includes names of absolute prestige, and benefiting from the artistic direction of the esteemed art historian Stefano Francolini, former Director, among other things, the restoration sector Opificio delle Pietre Dure. Extraordinary variety, as well as the importance of artistic contributions in this edition, which includes, to name just a few examples, ?smail Acar (among the most talented Turkish artists, star of numerous staff, presented at the Biennale di Venezia), the lighmotiv performer Christian Beck (who will perform the seductive projections Arno), John Bellany (among the most influential artists living in Scotland, his works are on display at MoMA and the Metropolitan in New York andTate, London), Charles Billich (official artist of the '96 Olympics in Atlanta, his works are in the collections of the Vatican, the White House and United Nations), Oscar Casares (acclaimed portrait painter, requested by stars like Nicole Kidman, who will present his work dedicated to Madonna), Cheng-Hsiung Chen (award-winning pioneer of Taiwan, capable of combining and reworking of the artistic heritage of Eastern and Western), Andy Fluon (artist eclecticismor former partner of Morgan's adventures in the Blue Vertigo), the sculptor Mario monumentalist Pachioli (defined by Franco Zeffirelli "astonishing reincarnation of our great"), and then Manuel Gonzalez (Spain), Icebear (Canada), Seema Kohli (India) , Maciej Hoffman (Poland), Eleonora Tugues Plaza (Venezuela), Graciela Rodríguez (Argentina). For the first time will also be attended by artists from Kashmir and Fiji. Substantial and of particular importance in the representation of Chinese present with an area dedicated to them. The Biennale, founded through the efforts and perseverance of Pasquale Celona (Chairman) and Piero Celona (CEO) since 2001 as partner official United Nations program "Dialogue between Civilizations", which honors a commitment through a series of events that highlight the feelings of brotherhood, peace and solidarity among peoples. Indeed, a full calendar of events, which goes along and makes it even more attractive, the Biennale provides lectures, meetings with guest of honor and an exhibition dedicated to Japanese cinema. Great expectations, particularly for the coveted award "Lorenzo il Magnifico" (awarded in previous years to Gilbert & George, Christo and Jeanne-Claude, Richard Anuszkiewicz, David Hockney, Mario Luzi, Alfredo Zalce, Carla Fracci and Ferruccio Soleri) that the international jury decided to give Abramovi? Marina (Golden Lion at the Venice Biennale 1997, the protagonist of an exhibition devoted to his video) and Shu Yong (who will present some paintings of his series "Chinese Myths"). Among other initiatives, an exhibition that accompanies the St. James Church focuses on the works of Paul Lorenz, Barbro Eriksson and Danielle Lindsay, and recognition of one of the 12 young artists selected by the Academy of Fine Arts in our country through a competition that has assured them a free space within the Biennale. For those who already know it, the Biennale has become an established and essential event, which continues to surprise edition after edition. For all others, will be the pleasant discovery of a festival that gives Florence the center of a confrontation that involves peoples, cultures, identities and passions: a true celebration of art that reconciles distant worlds into one dreamy embrace, which to Once you join the public and artists, who can finally meet and interact, in a sign of love for art. -------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ Biennial International Contemporary Art. City of Florence from 5 to December 13, 2009 Fortezza da Basso, Viale Strozzi 1 Timetable: from 10.00 to 20.00 Admission: 10. euros - reduced 8 euros Body Organizer: Art Studio srl - Viale Belfiore No 54 to 50,144 - Florence INFORMATION - TEL. 055-3249173 - FAX - 055 to 333,540 PRESS OFFICE - TEL. 055-292082 www.florencebiennale. org info@artestudio.net Image: Chinese Myth - 2008 - 3x3 mt, Oil on canvas. Shu Yong - Courtesy of the Artist