615,000 visitors at Venice Biennale

(ANSA) - Venice, November 27 - The 57th edition of Venice's international art Biennale that closed on Sunday registered a record 615,000 visitors, up 23% from the previous edition, its president, Paolo Baratta, said Monday.
    Overall, 31% of visitors were under 26 years of age while 15% were students.
    Christine Macel was the curator of this edition of the event called "Viva Arte Viva", which opened on May 13.
    Culture Minister Dario Franceschini expressed pride for the "beauty and quality" of the artwork exhibited at the Biennale, calling it an "excellence in the international art scenario that contributes to the image and prestige of Italy in the world".
    Visitors included President Sergio Mattarella and Lower House Speaker Laura Boldrini.
    Wrapping up the event, Baratta hailed the public's "growing familiarity with contemporary art".
    "We like to think that this attendance is the outcome of a desire to have art and artists as travel companions", he continued.
    The Biennale president said he was interested in the "growing desire to know" contemporary art rather than the value of contemporary artworks on the market.
    "For this reason, we consider important data like the fact that there more visitors for as many as nine weeks than during opening days".
    "The Biennale maintains its mission if it knows how to go along its path, or rather its crest, arming itself and visitors with the necessary foil to avoid temptations, banality, conformism and to discuss different truths that artists want to express for us and, finally, verify and appreciate the artwork".
    The event showcased the work of 120 artists.
    A total of 86 nations participated including, for the first time, Antigua and Barbuda, Kiribati and Nigeria.
    Three countries were also present after a long absence, including Bolivia, which had attended in 1966, Malta (the last time was in 1999) and Tunisia (first and last time in 1958).
    photo: an installation by US artist Sheila Hicks