Caffè Paradiso: the Biennale through the voices of its directors
The Caffè Paradiso, the historic café at the entrance of the Giardini della Biennale and today the home of the Concilio Europeo dell’Arte, takes center stage once again thanks to Massimiliano Gioni’s book, Caffè Paradiso. La Biennale di Venezia raccontata dalle sue direttrici e dai suoi direttori (Johan & Levi, 2024).
The volume gathers thirty years of the Venice Biennale Arte through the voices of its curators and artistic directors, whom Gioni met precisely at Caffè Paradiso: a symbolic place where, for decades, artists and intellectuals have come together to exchange ideas and shape the future. Through memories, anecdotes, and personal reflections, the book reveals the challenges of each edition: tight schedules, limited budgets, bold choices of artists to invite, and even the unprecedented difficulties of the pandemic.
What emerges is a mosaic of experiences that highlights the unique and unrepeatable character of every Biennale. Each edition appears as a universe of its own, marked by the unmistakable imprint of its curator: from the energy of Achille Bonito Oliva, to the political vision of Okwui Enwezor, up to the recent Biennale of women artists directed by Cecilia Alemani.
The book is not only a historical document but also a collective narrative that intertwines memory and contemporaneity, offering readers the chance to step behind the scenes of the world’s most important international art exhibition.
Caffè Paradiso is available for purchase at the Caffè Paradiso in the Giardini della Biennale.
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