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structure of copper funnels in perpetual motion, evoking the peaceful resilience of nature and humankind. This year, top ranking amongst the National Pavilions at the Giardini must be given to the U.S. Pavilion with its stunning installation by Simone Leigh, which redefines notions of space, time, and existence. Sovereignty commingles disparate histories and narratives, including those related to ritual performances of the African diaspora and early Black American material culture. Sonia Boyce's Feeling Her Way for Great Britain (winner of this year's Golden Lion prize) and France's Dreams Have No Titles by Zineb Sedira each addresses, in a dramatically different manner, the search for better and more comprehensive inclusion and understanding of "the other," trying new, more profound communication tools to overcome boundaries both spoken and visual. The Pavilion of Italy, curated by Eugenio Viola with artist Gian Maria Tosatti, presented one of the most unsettling exhibitions. Evoking the isolation experienced during the pandemic, the site-specific installation in seemingly abandoned industrial spaces reflects on the need to confront the mistakes of the past, the uncertainty of the future, and need to readdress the balance between development and sustainability, ethics and profit. Because of the growing number of countries participating, the National Pavilions have spilled out into city, providing opportunities to discover unique locations and spaces throughout Venice. From the palazzos on the Grand Canal to repurposed shipping depots and deconsecrated churches, the journey is like a treasure hunt scattered with a multitude of wonderful spectacles and intimate reflections. Côte d'Ivoire on the Zattere presented a beautiful show combining the work of rising stars of contemporary African art such as Saint-Étienne Yéanzi, known simply as Yéanzi, and Laetitia Ky. The Biennale is also the opportunity for discovering works by young artists from lesser-known cultures and countries, such as the wonderfully personal sculptural embroideries by Dante Buu at the Pavilion of Montenegro. Alongside the official entries to the Biennale, the city provides some of the most anticipated art exhibitions of the year, and that thirst we suffered during the pandemic was satiated by some of the most beautiful shows I have seen recently. Surely the most fulfilling is the large retrospective of Marlene Dumas' works at Palazzo Grassi organized by the Pinault Collection. Works from international institutions and private collectors (including The Rachofskys in Dallas) provided a stunning survey of one of the most provoking, introspective, and sensual female artists of her generation. The fluidity of her brushstrokes evokes the most intimate crevasses of the female body, the explosive facial expressions of her personages paraphrase the personal struggles of generations and the scale of her work, from intimate to majestic, confronts the audience with uncomfortable attractions. Anselm Kiefer's gigantic pieces inside the Doge's Palace prove once again that only the greatest contemporary artists can successfully resonate and ultimately coexist within the Old Master grandeur of those rooms. His layered immersive surfaces beautifully complement rather than clash with the grand gilded and painted ceilings of the Sala dello Scrutinio. Once again, the Venice Biennale has shown that contemporary art can be eloquently presented in a storied city and open a new dialogue for the ages. Filippo Tattoni-Marcozzi is PaperCity's European Editor at Large. (Continued from page 40) Pavlo Makov's Fountain of Exhaustion, Ukraine Pavilion Dante Buu's sculptural embroideries at the Pavilion of Montenegro Simone Leigh's Cupboard Sovereignty, 2022 An overview of Corderie of Arsenale Simone Leigh's Satellite ROBERTO MAROSSI ANDREA AVEZZÙ MARCO CAPPELLETTI ANDREA AVEZZÙ ANDREA AVEZZÙ 42