History of Venice Biennale

　　The 51st edition of the Biennale opened in June, 2005, curated for the first time by two women, Maria de Corral and Rosa Martinez. A former director of Madrid's Reina Sofia Museum, de Corral organized "The Experience of Art" which included 41 artists, from past masters like painter Francis Bacon Philip Guston, Bruce Nauman and Dan Graham, to younger figures like Tania Bruguera, Tacita Dean, and Leandro Erlich. Meanwhile, Rosa Martinez -- having curated Manifesta, the Istanbul Biennale, and SITE Santa Fe -- took over the Arsenale with "Always a Little Further." Drawing on "the myth of the romantic traveler" her exhibition involved 49 artists, ranging from the elegant (Ghada Amer) to the profane (Oleg Kulik) and including interesting collaborations like Jennifer Allora and Guillermo Calzadilla, Christoph Buchel and Gianni Motti, Blue Noses, and the Centre of Attention.

　　At the 51st Biennale, American artist Barbara Kruger was awarded with the "Golden Lion" award for life time achievement.

　　Robert Storr will direct the 52nd edition of the Biennale in 2007.