Biennale Danza 2025

Myth is a foundational element of humanity, at all latitudes. Myth explains and gives rise to the world through the voice of poets and artists. Myth is the tangible reality of the Divine, a perennial river in the life of mortals.
When Sir Wayne McGregor first informed us of his idea to articulate his next Festival around the theme of artists as myth-makers we, at La Biennale di Venezia, had further proof of our shared intent and vision.
As a universal, myth is psyche and action in their essential forms, conflict between the Apollonian and the Dionysian, therefore pure humanity. And it is grafted onto dance as well as into all the ancient propitiatory rituals, at the dawn of every art. This is why stating that artists are – even unconsciously – myth-makers is not only philologically correct, but is the necessary attitude for divining the future.

Pietrangelo Buttafuoco, President of La Biennale di Venezia

Through their inexplicable creativity quest, artists have always been the myth-makers of their day, and it is in their legacy that we delve into the depths of their/our inner selves while articulating universal truths that resonate across times and cultures. Artists are the myth-makers of our day, too – crafting ancient, speculative and contemporary narratives to enchant, beguile and endure. In a contemporary society, with rapid technological advancements and global challenges such as climate change and social inequality, there is an urgent need for myths that resonate with the current human experience. These new narratives can foster a sense of connection, belonging and purpose – guiding individuals and communities through difficult times.
Myth-making is thus, fundamentally, an act of profound and multifaceted creativity, integrating imagination, storytelling and the exploration of human emotion in both processes. Creativity is both a reason for existence and a way of being.

Wayne McGregor, Artistic Director of the Dance Department

Texts taken from MYTH MAKERS, catalogue of the 19th International Festival of Contemporary Dance - La Biennale di Venezia 2025