Chronology of Venice Biennale

　　1988
The sectorial directors were nominated for a four-year period: Giovanni Carandente (Visual Arts), Guglielmo Biraghi (Cinema), Francesco Dal Co (Architecture), Sylvano Bussotti (Music), Carmelo Bene (Theatre). The 43rd Art Exhibition, directed by Carandente, was entitled "Il luogo degli artisti" ("The place of artists").

　　1989
A special exhibition dedicated to the pictorial ?uvre of Jean Cocteau was held in the Italian pavilion within the Giardini as part of the activities organised by the Cinema sector.

　　1990
The 44th Art Exhibition had as its title "Dimensione futuro" ("Future dimension). Amongst the special exhibitions, Ambiente Berlin, Homage to Chillida and Ubi Fluxus ibi Motus (commissioner Achille Bonito Oliva).

　　1991
Two exhibitions were held within the headquarters of the Historical Archives at Ca' Corner della Regina: one on Tadeusz Kantor with theatre sets, costumes, machines and objects, the other on four masters of contemporary print-making (Friedlnder, Goetz, Hayter, Vedova).

　　1992
In preparation of the Biennale's centenary, two congresses were held in Venice and Rome to discuss the prospects for the reform of the organisation. The Sectorial Curators were nominated: Achille Bonito Oliva for the Visual Arts, Gillo Pontecorvo for Cinema, Mario Messinis for Music.

　　1993
The 45th Art Exhibition, which should have been held the year before, was postponed to this year, in order to make the next Exhibition coincide with the Biennale's centenary.

　　1994
President Gian Luigi Rondi, nominated for the four-year period 1993-1996, arranged six study days dedicated to the Biennale's areas of activity: "Quale Biennale dopo 100 anni? Identità, prospettive, riforma" (What Biennale after 100 years dentity, prospects, reform). Immediately after, the sectorial directors were nominated with the task of preparing the centenary events: Lluis Pasqual (Spain) for Theatre, Jean Clair (France) for the Visual Arts, Hans Hollein (Austria) for Architecture, Mario Messinis for Music and Gillo Pontecorvo for Cinema.

　　1995
For the Centenary, the Biennale promoted events in every sector of its activity: the 34th Festival del Teatro, the 46th Esposizione Internazionale d'Arte, the 46th Festival di Musica, the 52nd Mostra del Cinema. At the centre of the events for the Centenary was the historic exhibition Identità e alterità (Identity and Alterity), held in collaboration with Palazzo Grassi and curated by Jean Clair: an important recognition of the human face and body in the work of the leading artists of the 20th century, with works from the most important museums in the world.