THESE ARE THE NEWS. >Almost thousand works from 180 artists from 7 countries, are in Porto Alegre (RS/BR) for the I Bienal de Artes Visuais do Mercosul (First Bienal for Visual Arts of the Mercosul) happening from October to November the 30th.

> A daring proposal - to advertize, to entrench and to prove the plastic and visual creativity of artists belonging to the Mercado Comum do Sul (Common Market of the South). It's an initiative from the Government of Rio Grande do Sul joined by gaúchos undertakers and artists. The Bienal was founded in June last year and is president by the businessman and art colector Justo Werlang.

> Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, Bolívia as countries belonging to Mercosul - Venezuela as an envited country will be revealing their highest talents, their ideas, their efforts in technological researches used to express, perceptions and interpretating our reality. Through their "weapons of peace" or "tools" our artists tell the history, express their critics, denounce and reveal their expectations and "visions".

> The First BIENAL MERCOSUL units artists during this period artists who have the preveledged ability to blend experiences of the past and a reality witnessed by them, showing in their work these "testemony" in marvelous forms. During this time we will have the opportunity to appreciate their work and feel the explicit subtleness of the soul of these South American people, understanding the culture they have in common and eventually the real meaning of "belonging to the whole".

> In the global meaning of "ambition of belonging to a whole" that started in Brazil, Argentina, Uruguai and Paraguai brings about Chile's and Bolivia's envolment and already extending to Venezuela. Yes the First BIENAL of the MERCOSUL is an ambitious project. Since the "Assunção" folks treaty from the MERCOSUL have been intensifying to interests and benefits they have in common. The initial focus was: commercial & political connections and then proving the necessity to expand further to social, educational, security, juridical and topography relations.

> But then the cultural focus was demanding more officially planed actions. Some intelectual and artistic segments were starting to force an opening for "their space" in the integrating "movement". There have been some conscious iniciatives but only in eventual presentations. But now the First BIENAL OF VISUAL ARTS OF THE MERCOSUL emerges as a base to fortify and contribute to the aim of natural and defined integration.

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>> Jornalista Joyce Larronda - Reg. Prof.: 5349-RS/BR
>> Editora do Jornal Eletrônico do Mercosul 
>> Arte Gráfica: André L. Raimann
>> Fone/Fax:(+55 51) 582-8863
>> e-mail: larronda@zaz.com.br
>> Internet: http://www.jornalartelatina.com.br
                   http://www.joycelarronda.com.br
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