The 60th International Art Exhibition of the Venice Biennale, considered the most prominent international art exhibition in the world, will reach a historic milestone in 2024 when it will be directed by a Latino for the first time in its long history.

Brazilian curator Adriano Pedrosa, current director of the São Paulo Museum of Art (MASP), will be responsible for leading the main exhibition of this edition, entitled “Foreigners Everywhere”.

Pedrosa is recognized for his series of exhibitions at MASP called “Histories”, which investigate diverse themes, such as “Afro-Atlantic Histories” (2018), focusing on the African diaspora and the legacy of the transatlantic slave trade, and “Brazilian Histories” (2022), exploring Brazil’s narratives.

According to Latin Times article, for Pedrosa, being the first Latin American and Southern Hemisphere curator to direct the world's oldest and most prestigious biennial is both a privilege and a challenge, as he expressed on his Instagram account. His appointment by the president of the Venice Biennale, Roberto Cicutto, aims to bring a unique perspective on contemporary art, reinterpreting different cultures in an innovative way.

The title of the 60th International Art Exhibition of the Venice Biennale, “Foreigners Everywhere”, according to the publication, is inspired by a series of works started in 2004 by the collective Claire Fontaine, originally from Paris and based in Palermo. The works consist of neon sculptures in various colors, translating the phrase “Foreigners everywhere” into a growing number of languages. This expression, in turn, derives from the name of a Turin-based collective that fought against racism and xenophobia in Italy in the 2000s.

The exhibition will be divided into two segments: the “Contemporary Nucleus” and the “Historical Nucleus”. The first will address themes such as queer, outsider, and indigenous artists, exploring their experiences of marginalization and resistance. The second segment will present twentieth century works from Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, aiming to reveal the modernisms of the Global South, often neglected in traditional discourses on art.

The 2024 Venice Biennale promises to be a diverse and innovative platform, led by a Latin American curator who seeks to broaden the horizons of contemporary art, challenging cultural boundaries and celebrating diversity.