Article translated by Amritee Mahabir

Finally even Italy was chosen as a host country for a famous European contemporary art event. In fact only very few months remain before the inauguration of Manifesta7 that is being held in Trentino-Alto Adige in 2008. Along with the Venice Biennale and the Kassel Document, Manifesta is one of the most important contemporary art exhibitions and certainly could be considered as one of the best results of socio-political change that interests the whole of Europe. Manifesta not only aims to promote new artistic techniques but also facilitate communication between east and west, north and south, showing preference over presenting themes which are still criticised today. Bearing this in mind, Trentino and the Alto Adige was chosen for its seventh edition because of its dynamic experiences whether from a historical or socio-cultural point of view. The strong political and cultural identity not to mention its location at the heart of Europe, makes the provinces of Trento and Bolzano somewhat ideal for the Manifesta.

The travelling biennale show returns after a year long break due to the cancellation of the Nicosia edition in 2006, with great distinctiveness that will amplify organisational and geographical prospectives for them: for the first time it will not occur in one city alone, but in a whole region. It will therefore be divided into four different locations along the European north-south boarder: Fortezza, Bolzano, Trento and Rovereto, within significant pre-industrial architectural structures. The organisers choice fell on Fortezza, constructed in the middle of the XIX century, the Alumix di Bolzano establishment and the Poste di Trento Palace taking us back to the thirties of the last century as well as the ex-Alper industrial hangars and ex-Peterlini of Roverto, constructed before the beginning of the twentieth century. As noted, an international member will be curating the exhibition: the Polish Adam Budak, current curator for contemporary art at Kunsthaus Graz am Landesmuseum Joanneum of Graz and with years of experience as a curator; Anselm Franke, artistic director of the Extra City Center for Contemporary Art in Anversa, in collaboration with Hila Peleg, and the Raqs Media Collective, curatorial collective with an eclectic profile based in Delhi. Each of them will have three exhibition spaces for the event maintaining however a meeting point in Fortezza: the structure will be a common spot for others to help set up.

From a thematic point of view, they don’t in fact have anything specific in common: Manifesta7 will reveal itself rather as a dialectal comparison of the host region as much on the preparation front as on the problem side. The International Foundation of Manifesta (IFM), began in 2006 in Amsterdam, proposes to exceed its record in 2004 in San Sebastian with its seventh edition. During Manifesta 5, after 100 days of opening it registered an ample 130,000 visitors. From 19^th July to 2^nd November 2008 in Trentino-Alto Adige, the success of Manifesta7 will be down to international interest drawing the best young artists in the world to one of the most important Biennales of contemporary European Art.

From July 19^th to November 2nd 2008

MANIFESTA 7

Crispistr 15 via Crispi

I-39100 Bolzano

Tel. +39 0471 414980

Internet: www.manifesta7.it www.manifesta.org

Email: info@manifesta7.it