Francis Alÿs at the Venice Biennale

The Venice Biennale is the world's premier art event. The 59th edition of the contemporary art event opened on Tuesday 19 April 2022 in Venice, with the central exhibition "The Milk of Dreams". This exhibition is accompanied by 80 "national participations" in the pavilions of the Giardini, in the Arsenale and in Venice city centre.

Belgium has once again answered the call. Our country alternates each year between artists from the French and Flemish communities, and in 2022 it is the Flemish Community that has organised the selections. With Dirk Wit as its chairman, the jury was composed of experts from the art sector, who selected the Antwerp artist Francis Alÿs. His project entitled "The Nature of the Game" is installed in the Giardini and addresses the theme of children's games. The artist presents twelve videos - mostly new productions - filmed in Hong Kong, DRC, Mexico and Belgium - as well as a series of paintings. He succeeds James Ensor (1948), Didier Vermeiren (1995) and, more recently, Dirk Braeckman (2017) and Jos de Gruyter and Harald Thys (2019).

For those who miss the Venice event, the exhibition will be repeated at WIELS in Brussels in 2023!