As one of the special invitational exhibitions of the 55th Venice Biennale, "Passage to History- 20 Years of La Biennale Di Venezia and Chinese Contemporary Art" was showcased in May 2013 in both Venice, Italy, and Chengdu, China. I arranged the exhibition simultaneously in two venues, Armory No. 89 in Venice (Exhibition period: May 29, 2013, to November 24, 2013) and Museum of Contemporary Art Chengdu in Chengdu (Exhibition period: June 6, 2013, to September 30, 2013), marking a groundbreaking attempt.
I believe that the participation of outstanding Chinese contemporary artists led by the Museum of Contemporary Art Chengdu in the Venice Biennale is a significant cultural event for the people of Chengdu. It is essential to provide an opportunity to participate for the Chengdu audience and encourage their participation. Secondly, "Passage to History" is not merely the journey of Chinese contemporary artists participating in the Venice Biennale but also a process of Chinese art engaging in the writing of global art history. Chengdu, as a city with a calm demeanor and a contemporary art tradition, provided the atmospheric conditions by setting up two exhibition spaces for this event. This enables us to reexamine this controversial and uniquely valuable history from a specific perspective. Finally, this endeavor also provides artistic and historical resources for the upcoming Chengdu Biennale.
