Evolution of the Narrative Strategies of National Pavilions at the Venice Biennale from the Perspective of Postcolonial Theory (1990-2020)

Abstract

In the context of the global art exhibition system and the development of postcolonial theory, the national pavilions at the Venice Biennale have transformed into an important platform for international art exhibitions. This paper takes the national pavilions at the Venice Biennale from 1990 to 2020 as the research object, using the postcolonial theory perspective to systematically trace the evolution trajectory of the narrative strategies of the national pavilions. It cannot fully cover all the exhibition cases. The research finds that the narrative strategies of the national pavilions have undergone a transformation from representing the cultural identity of the nation-state to discussing global issues through dialogue. They have shown a trend of moving from a single-nation narrative to a multi-cultural dialogue, away from Western centrism and towards de-centering. Such research provides strong support for the study of international art exhibitions. This study reveals the narrative transformation mechanism of the national pavilions at the Venice Biennale in the postcolonial context, expands the theoretical perspective of the study of international art exhibitions, and has important theoretical significance for understanding the narrative strategies and cultural politics of contemporary art exhibitions

https://doi.org/10.65281/905178