Our Curatorial Trainee experiences world-renowned Venice Biennale
Our Curatorial Trainee Pamela Vivas, visited the world-renowned Venice Biennale this November to experience ‘Crip Arte Spazio: The Disability Arts Movement in Venice’. An exhibition by Shape Arts, the work will be showcased at Attenborough Arts Centre in February 2025.
Currently showing during the 60th Venice Biennale, the exhibition is a joyous and exuberant celebration of the Disability Arts Movement, showcasing its dynamism, wit, and grandeur. The exhibition reclaims historical slurs ‘Crip Arte Spazio’ in an unflinching explosion of huge protest banners, cartoon panels, large-scale projected artist films, photography, graphic novels, and campaign merchandise. The title Crip Arte Spazio, translated as Crip Art Space, plays on Italian words while reclaiming slurs disabled people have historically and continue to face. We fully support the curators, artists and disabled people in the reclamation of these words.
Pamela was able to go on this incredible trip through a generous grant from Art Fund. The visit supported her professional development by providing exposure to large-scale exhibitions, emerging artists, and innovative practices across the whole Biennale with exhibitions from artists around the world. While there she gathered vital information about the artwork and technical specifications, researched into best practice for interpretation and accessibility for audiences, and gained a further understanding of sustainability for large art events. We caught up with Pamela to hear about her trip:
Why did you go to the Venice Biennale?
“Mainly out of curiosity, I come from Colombia and this is the kind of thing that you hear about but it feels unlikely to get to experience from there. I wanted to see this one specially because of the curator and theme and then I heard about the curatorial grant and decided to apply for it.”
What did you experience at the Biennale?
“It was a very interesting and emotional experience at the same time. I do feel it is a space to see some amazing artworks that are relatable to a broad audience. You also see the opposite though, things that look like too much and aren’t that good.”
How did this trip help with the upcoming installation of ‘Crip Arte Spazio: The Disability Arts Movement in Venice’ at Attenborough Arts Centre?
“I got the opportunity to see the exhibition as it was created initially, and this is very useful for bringing into the gallery spaces at Attenborough Arts Centre. And from the technical point of view, I looked a lot how things were installed.”
What was your favourite exhibition?
“The Polish pavilion and the Arsenale show. The Polish pavilion had a piece called ‘Repeat After me II’. It’s a projection set as a karaoke where the video shows war refugees and how they remember it through the sounds of guns, sirens, people’s voices, etc. And then they invite the audience to repeat this – it was very moving.”
Did you learn anything new that you will bring into your role?
“Writing interpretation is new for me and from the start of my role I’ve felt is the most challenging part of it. I think reading the curatorial texts about the pieces gave me clarity in the type of writing I like and want to do and how I want to communicate with an audience.”
‘Crip Arte Spazio: The Disability Arts Movement in Venice’ will be exhibited in Gallery 1 at Attenborough Arts Centre from 14 February – 11 May 2025.