Thoughts on the Venice Biennale

"When Viewing Art, be ready to participate, to be moved and inspired by the uniqueness of the message as it pertains to you."

The Venice Biennale has been the pinnacle of the art world since it was first held in 1895. Every two years, creators of all sorts from the vast and varied nations of the world come together to showcase their work. It is a celebration unparalleled, a gala for contemporary artists, appreciators, and tastemakers to converge - over 300,000 people have gathered for the festivities in a single year. In recent years, it has even grown to encompass other realms of culture, including theatre, dance, music, architecture, and cinema - enabling a greater dialogue across the divides of genre and style.

If ever we need evidence that contemporary art is alive and well, the Biennale provides it for us. The number of participating artists and countries grows per year, a flourishing of creative energy continuously gaining momentum. So great is its power that it cannot be contained, with unofficial satellite exhibitions appearing around Venice, and other biennales emerging in Istanbul, Havana, Berlin, Shanghai, and a number of other cities around the globe.

Looking deep into the event's history, so many of the art world's most remarkable names appear as featured participants. The Biennale is the intersection of history and modernity, tradition and the cutting edge - the center of life for the art of the present day.

Jeff Koons's Balloon Dog on display at the 2011 Venice Biennale. [image source]

This past year, I was thrilled to open an exhibition in tandem with the Venice Biennale. The gorgeous Museo Diocesano di Venezia became home for Love & Peace, a finely curated selection of my flower paintings and sculptures. I felt so blessed to know that my works could bloom in the eyes of the Biennale's visitors, finding their place within the venerated city.

I felt my heart beat in time with scores of others who have devoted their lives to beauty and pursuit of creation. The far stretches of the world folded and, together, we offered up our greatest achievements for the enjoyment of all mankind. The Biennale highlights the genius that is the inheritance of every nation of the world - and the power to unite those nations through the unceasing magnificence of art.