Always a little further
51st Venice Biennale, Italy
Curated by Rosa Martinez
In the 9,000 square meters of the arsenal’s Corderie and Artiglierie, Rosa Martínez showed works of 49 artists. As she stated at the press conference in Berlin, she was left with no other alternative but to maintain the linear sequence of the space, but incorporating the impressive atmosphere of the old masonry. Many of the works were specially made for the exhibition, and some created on the open-air exhibition grounds next to the long halls.
The title of Rosa Martínez’ exhibition was taken from a fictional character found in one of the small books on the adventures of Corto Maltese, created by the Venetian writer and comic-strip artist Hugo Pratt. In her statement, one correspondingly reads: 1"Pratt’s writings have turned Corto Maltese into a legend: he personifies the myth of the romantic traveler always open to chance and risk, and always crossing every imaginable frontier in pursuit of his own destiny." Using this figure as her inspiration, Martínez affirms that "art is an imaginary construct," and that "fantasy helps us toward a better understanding of reality".
In Berlin, during the interview with the press, she added that the title of the exhibition also addresses, for example, the concept and the will of the philosophers, scientists, and artists who dare to venture into new territories and go beyond the known horizons. But simultaneously, Martínez deeply regretted not having had more time for research, and was not entirely satisfied, especially where it concerned including artists from other regions (meaning outside of Europe and North America).