1. art and entertainment
2. shows and events
3. exhibition

University of South Florida’s excursion to the Venice Biennale, June 30 - July 6
ART 4940-401, 1-2 credits
ART 6940-401 or ARH 6055-401
Instructors: Lou Marcus, Anat Pollack
Program assistants: Mary Ann Becker, Maria Saraceno
Syllabus
Course description and goals: The Biennale di Venezia is the world's oldest and most prestigious
exhibition of contemporary art and a showcase for artists selected from nations around the
world. Students who choose to participate in the Venice trip will experience some of the most challenging
and innovative art currently being produced while also exploring the streets and architecture of this
fascinating and unusual city. By engaging students in a diverse array of art experiences this excursion
seeks to further inform the student’s awareness of the historical and contemporary contexts of art.
Course outcomes:
- Students gain a greater understanding of contemporary art on an international scale through exposure
to the work exhibited at the various venues of the Venice Biennale.
- Students further their knowledge of art history through exposure to the extraordinary historical resources
of the city.
- Students further develop their awareness of cultural difference and gain confidence in their ability to
adapt and accommodate to a different language and culture and in particular to the unique urban
geography of a water-based city with a medieval plan.
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Course requirements:
- Attendance at pre-departure Venice excursion orientation and reading of required orientation materials
including a few articles or essays on Venice and the Venice Biennale. Non-USF students who are offcampus will be provided with this information through podcasts and mailings.
- Attendance at all of the planned excursions and visits, July 1-5. (Students enrolled for 1 credit may
consider events planned for July 4th and 5th to be optional.) We will meet each morning just after
breakfast at 9:30 a.m., arriving at the scheduled venues at approximately 10:00 a.m. Required activities
will end each day at approximately 5:00 p.m. Optional early evening visits to satellite venues of the
Biennale may also be planned.
- Engaged participation in faculty-led discussions that will be scheduled throughout the excursion.
Grading is on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis. Students who reasonably fulfill the above course
requirements will receive an “S”.
Excursion schedule:
June 30th: Evening departure by train from Paris; arrival in Venice the morning of July 1st.
July 1st: Settling in at the hotel and introduction to the geography of Venice: on-site orientation meeting
(approximately ½ hr.) to be followed by walking tour of central Venice (Piazza St. Marco, Doges Palace),
visit to a satellite venue of the Biennale followed by independent explorations of the city. Note: breakfast
is served at the hotel each morning 7:30 – 9:30 a.m.
July 2nd: (9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.) Venice Biennale: We will spend the day at the Giardini site of the
Biennale. After breaking into subgroups, each with a faculty member or assistant as group leader, you
will explore the various pavilions of the Giardini. Subgroups will meet with their group leader for a
discussion of the work they have encountered both at lunchtime and at the conclusion of the day. The
Biennale is open until 6 p.m. After the last discussion students are welcome to continue to explore the
pavilions until closing.
July 3rd: (9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.) Venice Biennale: Visit to the Arsenale venue of the Biennale and the
exhibition “All the World’s Futures” curated by Okwui Enwezor”, in subgroups, discussions of the work
encountered both at lunchtime and later than afternoon. The Arsenale is open until 6 p.m. After the last
discussion students can continue to visit the exhibition until closing.
July 4th: Morning visit to the Academia Museum; lunch; afternoon group visit to the Peggy Guggenheim
Collection.
July 5th: Students will have several options for visits led by faculty and assistants among which they can
choose according to their interests. Visits today may include the following: Basilica dei Frari (works by
Bellini, Titian, Vivarini), Scuola San Rocco (Tintoretto, Tiepolo); Palazzo Grassi (contemporary art
collection); Palazzo Fortuny (eclectic mix of historical and contemporary work) and satellite venues of the
Biennale. This day will end at approximately 2 p.m. to allow students time for additional independent
exploration of the city.
July 6th: Early morning departure – chartered boat to the airport will leave from the dock near the hotel.
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