Opening of 3rd Biennial of Valencia

(24th September – 30th November 2005)

Directed by Luigi Settembrini, the 3rd Biennial of Valencia opened its doors last saturday, september 24th and will run until the 30th November. Like previous editions, this year’s Biennial revolves around one central theme: Water. Leading international artists address the various states, moods and properties of water and explore its possible dialectics under the umbrella of Water (Without You I’m Not). The chosen venue this year for the various exhibitions in the 3rd Biennial is the Convento del Carmen in Valencia.

The core exhibition "Thoughts of a fish in a deep sea" is curated by Franck Gautherot and Seung-duk Kim and features the work of artists of the stature of Denis Santachiara, On Kawara, Yayoi Kusama, John Armleder, Olivier Mosset, Andreu Alfaro, Miltos Manetas, Xavier Veilhan, Sylvie Fleury, Gimhongsook, Alain Séchas, Gustav Metzger, Jane Simpson, Terry Rodgers, Sergio Belinchón, Duane Hanson , Angela Bulloch, Linda Benglis, Jesús Raphael de Soto, Richard Kern and Arto Lindsay.

The various spaces within the Convento del Carmen (Gothic Cloister, Renaissance Cloister and the Gothic Refectory) are used as separate yet interlinked halls, sections along a single “road” travelling through different ideas on water, plumbing various depths of understanding that are sure to engage all visitors and not just the initiated few.

The Biennial of Valencia is the first event dedicated to the communication between the arts, that is, it encompasses the whole of contemporary aesthetic and creative communication. The Biennial of Valencia is underpinned by two ideas which are inextricably bound together. The first is that all creative languages in contemporary culture – whether art, fashion, cinema, photography, music, theatre, architecture, design, dance, literature or advertising – rub shoulders and must necessarily engage in dialogue and interaction. The second is that all current flows of communication, ranging from traditional mass media to new information technologies, lend these creative representations unprecedented visibility. Taken together, these two considerations define the idea of communication, one interdisciplinary and the other in its relationship with the outside world. And it is this concept that makes the Biennial an observatory for the confrontation of languages.

A whole series of tie-in events will be taking place revolving around the 3rd Biennial of Valencia. Organized in conjunction with other institutions from Valencia, music, cinema, theatre, dance and design will all be addressing the idea of water from their own respective vernaculars.

For further information:
Irene Blasco, Vicent Marco y Felip Pinazo prensa@bienaldevalencia.com Telf. 34 96 3530899

Oficina de Prensa Fundación C.V. Bienal de las Artes C/Correos, nº 3 3º Puerta 6 Valencia - 46002

website: http://www.bienaldevalencia.com/