Baratta: ‘The new Historical Archive of the Biennale, a place of memory that becomes a driver of activity’

“The Biennale had to have a place that represents it,” Baratta told Adnkronos. “A cultural institution must have a space capable of embodying its identity in the collective imagination and memory. For a long time the Biennale did not have a place with these characteristics.” The former president of the Biennale recalled how, alongside the Central Pavilion of the Gardens, characterized by neutral spaces and white surfaces designed for exhibition, the role of the Arsenale has gradually established itself as its natural counterpoint. “The Arsenale is the exact opposite of the Central Pavilion,” he explained. “A sort of counterpoint that offers curators multiplied possibilities and potential. On the one hand the white and neutral spaces, on the other monumental environments which themselves collaborate in the presentation of contemporary works of art”.

The process began in 1999 with the concession of the Arsenale to the Biennale and with the first investments intended for the recovery of the historic buildings. In the following years, new exhibition spaces and structures dedicated to the College of the Biennale were created, intended for the training of young generations of artists. Today, with the opening of the Historical Archive, the project finds its completion. According to Baratta, the new structure represents much more than a simple document repository. “It’s almost a paradox,” he noted. “While many institutions move their archives to the suburbs, we have chosen to bring the archive to the heart of the Arsenale, in the historic center of Venice. This is because the Archive must become an engine of activity, a living and operational tool, not the place where papers are simply stored.”

The objective, now pursued by president Pietrangelo Buttafuoco, is to transform the Biennale into an active reality throughout the year, capable of combining the presentation of contemporary arts with their festivals with constant study, research and reflection. “At the Arsenale with the Archive, the place of memory is born”, underlined Baratta, “but also the place of discussion on art. The exhibition rooms are dedicated to the presentation of the works; the Archive, on the other hand, fuels research and cultural comparison. They are different functions that together give shape to a complex and vital structure”.

The former president of the Biennale did not hide his emotion at reaching a goal he had pursued for over two decades. “It’s almost heartwarming to see this project come to fruition,” he said. “It was possible thanks to the participation of many energies who believed in the initiative and, in recent years, also thanks to the support of the Ministry of Culture, which courageously financed the final phase of the intervention”.

For Baratta, the completion of the Archive also represents a message of confidence for the future of the city. “Bringing life to Venice is in itself a great satisfaction,” he concluded. “It means going against the grain and not considering decline inevitable. This is perhaps the greatest satisfaction.” (by Paolo Martini)