The Biennial Project, as everybody knows, travels in the rarified circles of the World’s Most Elite Artists.

So when we set out to choose the artist who would be honored with the coveted l'Invitation Palme d'Or to participate in the 2013 ArtVenice Biennale, we obviously had a lot of great art to pick from.

We thought about Pussy Riot, friends of ours who have been shaking things up a bit recently in Mother Russia.

But upon considering the difficulty that they might have getting their work to us, we decided to limit our search to artists who are not currently confined to work camps.

This narrowed down the competition somewhat, but still left a lot of impressive art in the running.

But it was clear that there was one artist whose work just had to be part of our Biennale.

We are so very proud to announce that our friend Francisco Bassim was been chosen to receive the 2013 ArtVenice l'Invitation Palme d'Or.

We met Francisco at the 2011 Venice Biennale where he was was representing his country – Venezuela. (Did we mention that we have cool friends?)

In a Biennale in which there was some jaw-droppingly strong work, Francisco’s installation stood out.

Both artistically and politically au courant, brave, honest, gorgeous, sure to piss off the folks at the Vatican among others – Francisco is the total package.

And then there’s his work. Exactly the same. So damned cool.

io majestuoso (autorretrato), obra de: francisco bassim

La realidad mata las fantasías, obra de: francisco bassim, de la serie: CARACAS 666

Autoretrato de lo inevitable, obra de: francisco bassim, de la serie: CARACAS 666

Descanso luego de la crucifixión,  obra de: francisco bassim,  de la serie: Cristo libre

Cristo de los dos géneros,  obra de: francisco bassim,  de la serie: Cristo libre

Miranda en Yare, obra de: francisco bassim, de serie: Héroes de la independencia

Mona del barrio con rollos para el bonche de esta noche, obra de: francisco bassim, de la serie: CARACAS 666

Cristo con polarcitas haciendo picnic con Judas y el Espíritu Santo en un barrio caraqueño luego de la crucifixión,
obra de: francisco bassim, de la serie: CARACAS 666

No importa que tan famosa puedas ser, si lo dejas también serás una víctima,
obra de: francisco bassim, de la serie: Violencia de género

Cristo fue a El Paraíso, obra de: francisco bassim, de la serie: Cristo libre

Mona en espera, obra de: francisco bassim, de la serie: la mona Lisa

No hay principes azules ni reinos de cuentos de hadas, obra de: francisco bassim,
de la serie: Violencia de género

Papa Francisco Videla I y lamentablemente no el último, obra de: francisco bassim

Una mala historia desde el comienzo hasta el final, obra de: francisco bassim, de la serie: Violencia de género

io a lo María Antonieta con polarcita y alucinando, (autorretrato),  obra de: francisco bassim

io (autorretrato), obra de: francisco bassim

io (autorretrato), obra de: francisco bassim

?, obra de: francisco bassim,  de la serie: Hitler mon amour 1

Cristo vive,  obra de: francisco bassim, de la serie: Cristo libre

con el rancho en la cabezao, bra de francisco bassim, de la serie: CARACAS 666

SEE MORE ART FROM FRANCISCO BASSIM