Inside the Venice Biennale with Sotheby’s Lorenzo Rebecchini

Lorenzo Rebecchini, Sotheby’s managing director for Italy and senior specialist in modern and contemporary art, will be leading an Insider Journey with Indagare founder Melissa Biggs Bradley this September exploring the Venice Biennale. Celebrating contemporary art, exceptional craftsmanship and centuries-old traditions, the journey offers travelers access to after-hours museum visits, master artisans and landmark collections. Below, Lorenzo shares his perspective on Venice’s place in the art world, as well as tips for navigating the Biennale.

For someone attending the Venice Biennale for the first time, what makes the atmosphere so unique compared to other art fairs and exhibitions?

“The Biennale unfolds across the entire city, which fundamentally shapes the experience. You move from a pavilion to a palazzo, from a formal exhibition space to a hidden courtyard, with Venice itself becoming part of the exhibition. There is a certain unpredictability to it, a sense that art can appear anywhere. This creates an atmosphere that feels immersive and dynamic, quite different from the contained environment of a typical art fair.”

With so much to see, what’s your strategy for navigating the Biennale without being overwhelmed? Any must-visit shows, artists or exhibitions that you are personally excited about?

“Pacing is essential. Rather than trying to see everything, I would suggest focusing on a few key areas each day and allow time to reflect in between. Venice itself encourages this rhythm—walking through the city, stopping for a coffee and crossing a quiet square. These pauses become part of the experience and help you absorb what you have seen. Beyond the main exhibition and the national pavilions, I am always particularly interested in the collateral events that take place throughout the city. These often lead to some of the most surprising and intellectually stimulating encounters. Independent projects and adjacent exhibitions also offer valuable alternative perspectives, often with a more experimental approach.

Shows I’m personally excited about—the Michael Armitage show at Palazzo Grassi (Pinault Foundation) and Jenny Saville at ‘Ca Pesar. Another one will be Gian Giacomo Rossetti (a young Italian artist who lives and works in New York) at the Fondazione Bevilacqua.”

For those preparing to attend, what would you recommend doing in advance to get the most out of the experience?

“It helps to approach the Biennale with some understanding of the curatorial theme and perhaps a few areas of focus—whether particular artists, pavilions or disciplines. At the same time, it is important to leave room for discovery. Some of the most rewarding moments come from the unexpected: a small exhibition, a conversation or a space you had not initially planned to visit.”

For those who have been to the Venice Biennale before, why should they visit again on this particular journey?

“The Biennale is never the same twice. Each edition reflects a different curatorial vision and a different moment in global culture. What distinguishes this journey is the perspective it offers—a more considered, insider-led way of experiencing it. Returning in this context means encountering the Biennale through new conversations, private visits and insights that transform the experience from simple observation into deeper understanding.”

What aspects of the Venice Biennale do you find most compelling, and how do you plan to bring these to life during the trip for your guests?

“One thing that makes the Biennale so interesting and attractive worldwide is that it is never just an exhibition. It is a global conversation. Each national pavilion expresses a distinct cultural perspective, while the central exhibition captures the pulse of contemporary art at a very precise moment in time. Equally fascinating are the countless events and installations that unfold throughout the city, often in unexpected venues. Our approach is to guide guests through this complexity with clarity and rhythm, providing both context and access so they can engage deeply while still enjoying the experience.”

What aspects of the Venice Biennale do you find most compelling, and how do you plan to bring these to life during the trip for your guests?

“One thing that makes the Biennale so interesting and attractive worldwide is that it is never just an exhibition. It is a global conversation. Each national pavilion expresses a distinct cultural perspective, while the central exhibition captures the pulse of contemporary art at a very precise moment in time. Equally fascinating are the countless events and installations that unfold throughout the city, often in unexpected venues. Our approach is to guide guests through this complexity with clarity and rhythm, providing both context and access so they can engage deeply while still enjoying the experience.”

On this Indagare Journey, travelers will also have an exclusive visit to Homo Faber, one of the city’s premier exhibitions. Can you share why this is such a special visit?

“Homo Faber is a remarkable celebration of craftsmanship at the highest level. What makes it so compelling is the way it reframes artisanal practice as something vibrant and forward-looking. Experiencing it privately allows guests to engage more meaningfully with both the works and the makers behind them. It becomes an encounter with excellence, precision and human ingenuity—values that resonate strongly with the broader themes of the journey.”

How is Venice unique as compared to other top art, culture and design destinations? What is something you wish more people understood about the Venice scene?

“Venice operates on a very particular scale and rhythm. It is a city where history is not simply a backdrop but a constant presence, and where contemporary creativity unfolds in dialogue with centuries of artistic tradition. It is sometimes perceived primarily as a beautiful setting, yet Venice remains an active and evolving cultural centre, sustained by a vibrant community of artists, artisans and thinkers.”

When in Venice, what do you most enjoy doing away from the Biennale crowds?

“Walking without a fixed destination, particularly early in the morning or later in the evening, when the city is quieter and reveals a more intimate side of itself.”

Favorite restaurants, cafés or bars in Venice?

“Venice has a culinary tradition that spans centuries. Whenever I am in town, I try to stop at Harry’s Bar, a cornerstone of Venetian tradition where you can almost feel the presence of the great personalities who once dined there, from artists to collectors. I also enjoy Koenji in San Polo, a small bacaro and osteria that offers an intriguing blend of Japanese home cooking and Venetian flavors. Al Covo is another favorite for authentic Venetian cuisine. And for an aperitivo, few places rival the terrace of The Gritti Palace, overlooking the Grand Canal and Punta della Dogana.”

Any boutiques, stores, galleries or markets that you always make time for in Venice?

“I would recommend visiting Damocle Edizioni, an independent publishing house and bookshop known for its remarkable selection of rare texts and prints created using traditional wood-carved stamps. Piedàterre is a wonderful destination for traditional furlane shoes. Another fascinating place is Cameraphoto Epoche, which almost feels like a museum. The archive contains more than 300,000 vintage black-and-white photographs of Venice taken over the past century by the founder’s father—images of daily life, sporting events, political moments and Carnevale. Finally, I always enjoy visiting Laguna~B, an extraordinary glassware studio that reimagines traditional Murano craftsmanship through a playful and contemporary lens.”

How has travel inspired and informed your work and the evolution of your career?

“Travel has always been central to my career. Sotheby’s operates on a truly global scale, and being a specialist means remaining closely connected with colleagues, collectors and institutions across different regions. More broadly, travelling offers perspective—an understanding of how different cultures engage with art, collecting and creativity.”