MANIFESTA 7

Manifesta 7, the European Biennial of Contemporary Art, which for the first time took place in Italy, formally came to an end on November 2, 2008 after a period of 111 days of intense activity. Manifesta 7 was curated as a collaborative effort by three teams, consisting of Adam Budak, Anselm Franke / Hila Peleg and Raqs Media Collective, and was organised by a large international team, which was managed by Hedwig Fijen, Andreas Hapkemeyer and Fabio Cavallucci. Manifesta 7 attracted more than 108,000 visitors.

The positive response to Manifesta 7 has been confirmed by the presence of numerous, different audience groups, as well as the widespread coverage in the local, national and international press. Art critics have described this edition as the best Manifesta so far. 1,615 journalists from Italy and abroad registered to visit the Manifesta 7 exhibitions. These events showcased painting, sculpture, video, installation and sound works, the majority of which were specially conceived for the occasion by 230 participating artists, architects and writers from around the world.

To date, more than 1,300 articles have been published (1,050 Italian and 250 international). Radio and TV stations at local and international level have reviewed the show, in a broad range of programmes and contexts. Particular attention was placed on the organisation of the Parallel Events, which featured more than 100 artistic projects developed in the local region of the Dolomites. Manifesta 7 stretched across an entire regional territory, encompassing seven venues, covering more than 16,000 square metres of exhibition space in four cities: Fortezza, Bolzano/Bozen, Trento and Rovereto. As such, it is bound to leave its mark, and it has already drawn attention to the restoration of monuments and former-industrial buildings, which are now available as purpose-built venues for cultural practices for the local community and beyond.