KITSCH B I E N NA L E
2010 Venice PALAZZO C I N I I N SAN VI O
17 September - 15 October 2010
KITSCH B I E N NA L E
2010 KB is an international exhibition for representational painting and sculpture. KB is for painters and sculptors who focus on: • the archetypical, human condition • handcraft, narrative and composition • drama, pathos and sentimentality KB is organized by WorldWideKitsch. WWK is a Norway based, non-profit organization established in 2005. Application forms for KB participation are posted on worldwidekitsch.com. Applicants to KB 2010 will be selected by a jury of five members composed by Odd Nerdrum, Helene Knoop, founder of WWK, Richard T. Scott, David Dalla Venezia and the galerist and writer Bjørn Li.
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This exhibition has been staged with the participation of the Fondazione Giorgio Cini Onlus
Patricia Traub Caregivers Oil on linen
THE KITSCH BIENNALE: A Brief History
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ur predecessor, The Kitsch Annuale, opened in Norway in 2004. However, with the establishment of worldwidekitsch.com, the amount of applicants grew swiftly. Receiving submissions from all over the world, it was decided to establish the exhibition abroad. Simultaneously, the Kitsch Annuale was turned into a biennale, giving us time to locate venues. The inaugural Kitsch Biennale was held at Munich`s Pasinger Fabrik in 2008. KB 2008 welcomed 42 painters from 12 countries and exhibited 73 works. Guest Exhibitor Patricia Traub teaches at The Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, Philadelphia. Finally, over five-thousand visitors attended KB08, further underscoring its success.
1. Odd Nerdrum Man with golden coin Oil on linen Exhibited at KB 2008 2. Patricia Traub Caregivers Oil on linen Exhibited at KB 2008
PALAZZO CINI IN SAN VIO: A splendid venue
T
he KB 2010 will be held on the second floor of Palazzo Cini in San Vio. Located halfway between the Accademia Galleries and the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, this 16th-century palazzo (and the adjacent Palazzo Loredan whose side elevation fronts on the Grand Canal) were once the residence of Count Vittorio Cini. The first floor, or Piano Nobile, furnished with antiques and objets d’art reflecting the building’s original character and the personal taste of this great collector, features thirty paintings of the Tuscan school (Botticelli, Piero della Francesca, Pontormo and more) donated by Yana Cini to the Giorgio Cini Foundation in 1984, together with the section of the palazzo which currently houses the gallery. The second floor is reserved for temporary exhibitions. During the KB 2010, some of the accepted work will be exhibited among these renowned renaissance masters. A real ‘paragone’ (comparison), between contemporary and past masters - in true renaissance manner! We welcome you to the opening Friday the 17th of September.
1. Interior detail of Palazzo Cini in San Vio 2. Pontormo Portrait of Two Friends Palazzo Cini in San Vio Images used by courtesy of Fondazione Giorgio Cini
APPENDIX: Why “kitsch”? In the mid 18th century, the values of the modern art concept were established: • Pathos and intimacy were replaced by “aesthetical indifference”. • The sensual representation of the body was banned. • Originality became an unconditional good. • Reflecting one’s time became paramount. Disobediant painters were derided as ”kitsch”. The term ”kitsch” is about 150 years old, and has commonly been used in a negative and disparaging sense. It denotes sentimentality and pathos in music, sculpture and painting. From the 20th century on, the term ”kitsch” started to be used more theoretically and consequent as the negative opposite of art. According to Hermann Broch: ”In art the evil is represented by kitsch.”. Thus, kitsch is not even ”bad art”, but forms a system of its own. According to critics, kitsch ”lies” about life. In 1996 Odd Nerdrum discovered the positive potential in the term. He started to claim kitsch as a positive superstructure for figurative, non-ironic and narrative painting. Consequently, a growing number of figurative painters are now calling themselves kitsch painters. According to the positive view of kitsch: • The eternal perspective is preferable to a contemporary, limited horizon. • A “sentimental” or “pathetic” image is no cause of shame (unless badly painted…). • Quality is more important than originality.
Kitsch represents a return to craft and narrative without irony.
Odd Nerdrum Running Bride Oil on linen
We welcome you to attend THE KITSCH BIENNALE 2010 in Venice!
If you would like information on becoming a sponsor or would like to make a donation, please contact WorldWideKitsch.
WorldWideKitsch E-mail: desk@worldwidekitsch.com Tel: +47 97753550 (Helene Knoop) www.heleneknoop.com Tel: +47 90059179 ( Jan-Ove Tuv) www.janovetuv.com In Italy: E-mail: info@daviddallavenezia.com Tel: +39 3392868328 (David Dalla Venezia)
SPONSORSHIP The Kitsch Biennale 2010 is organized with the support of:
fineArt AS fineArt/Kunstklubben AS is the Nordic countries largest portal for presentation, dissemination and sale of art. Our club concept , Kunstklubben, publishes Norways largest and oldest art magazine, KUNST www.fineart.no
KITSCH CRUISE 2010 Arrive in Venice with splendor and style! On the Kitsch Cruise, we offer you a unique travel experience... Sun Yachting Navigare AS has over 25 years experience in Mediterranean sailing cruises and maintains a superb fleet of modern 50 foot yachts www.sunyachting.no
If you fall asleep on horseback, the horse will stop at the rock. Art is a car. Kitsch is a horse. Odd Nerdrum