Second International Conference, “Archives and Exhibitions”

"There is no longer an Exhibition, though devoted to the avant-garde, without the use of archives"; with this statement Paolo Baratta had greeted the success of the first "Archives and Exhibitions" conference, organized last year at the 13th International Architecture Exhibition curated by David Chipperfield (20 and 21 October 2012).

"The Archive becomes a 'permanent theme' for La Biennale - says Baratta - and becomes important again on the contemporary: the relationship between archives and exhibitions evolves in our reflection from being an extemporary theme to become one of the themes of Fund of an organization such as La Biennale. "

"And just La Biennale - continues Baratta - is the institution where to continue these researches because the Historical Archive is the place from which and to which the memories and documents of the past pass through, but it is also the place with which we aim the future. It is a very serious responsibility that must be included among the responsibilities of a cultural institution even if it is not written in the statute. "

The two days of debate were divided into 4 sessions, including institutional interventions and round tables.

- Friday, November 15, the President of the Venice Biennale Paolo Baratta opened the proceedings and presented the Acts of the First International Conference "Archives and Exhibitions" 2012 published by the Biennale of Venice (cover price 10 euro;

Following is a roundtable with the moderation of Angela Vettese, art critic and Councilor for Culture and Tourism of the City of Venice: Massimiliano Gioni told The use of archives in the 55th International Art Exhibition  with the contribution of two invited artists: Gianfranco Baruchello and Matt Mullican.

The second session - Organizing the memory - scheduled in the early afternoon and moderated by Massimiliano Gioni, saw Angela Vettese confront Eleni Michaelidi, archive of the DESTE Foundation in Athens, and Reem Akl of the Arab Image Foundation in Beirut.

The great potential of archives in Italy is the title of the third moderated session by Erilde Terenzoni, archival supervisor for Veneto and Trentino-Alto Adige, with scholars and representatives of the major Italian institutions: Diana Toccafondi,  archivist for Tuscany region, Rachel Ferrari , Professor of Contemporary Art Phenomenology and Archival Cataloging and Management at the Academy of Fine Arts in Milan, Debora Rossi, the organizational manager of ASAC and Paola Pettenella, Manager of the Historical Archives of Mart di Rovereto.

Rossana Rummo, General Director for Libraries, Cultural Institutes and Copyright of the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Tourism, has drawn the conclusions of the first day of work.

- Saturday, November 16 Massimiliano Gioni moderated the meeting dedicated to the role of archival document in contemporary art, with works by Paolo Baratta, Okwui Enwezor, director of the Haus der Kunst in Munich, Michelle Elligott, director of MoMA Archives in New York, Luca Massimo Barbero, director of the Institute of Art History of the Venice Cini Foundation, Daniela Lancioni, senior curator of the Palazzo delle Esposizioni di Roma and Assunta Porciani, head of the Archives and Library of the Quadriennale Foundation of Rome.