Female artists dominate the Venice Biennale for first time

American sculptor Simone Leigh, right, and curator Eva Respini attend a press conference in front of the "Satellite" sculpture part of the "Sovereignty" installation during the unveiling of the United States' pavilion at the 59th Biennale of Arts exhibition in Venice. Photo: AP

For the first time in the 127-year history of the Venice Biennale, the world’s oldest and most important contemporary art fair features a majority of female and gender non-conforming artists, under the curatorial direction of Cecilia Alemani.

The result is a Biennale that puts the spotlight on artists who have been long overlooked despite prolific careers, while also investigating themes including gender norms, colonialism and climate change.