The 28th São Paulo Biennial

Controversy is an essential element of the São Paulo Biennial, which has been going strong with only two wider gaps in its schedule since 1951 and draws visits from the world over to its contemporary art displays. One of the reasons for noise in the 28th Bienal de Arte de São Paulo (through Dec.6, 2008) is the second floor of the Ciccillo Matarazzo Pavilion.

The second floor of the striking building – designed by Oscar Niemeyer, in association with a team of other architects – has been left completely empty for the Biennial. Brazilian artists José Roberto Aguilar and Henrique Amaral have questioned the decision (among other Biennial issues) in this news report (in Portuguese; the video shows the open floor).

Despite the sacrifice of space for more artworks, the Biennial is a must-see for contemporary art lovers – go, if only to criticize it. And the pavilion as well as beautiful Ibirapuera Park, where it's located, are indeed São Paulo attractions in their own right.