Over 70 nations including Taiwan brought hundreds of artists to show the cutting edge of modern art. Artists, critics and wealthy patrons from all over the world gathered in Venice for the controversial Biennial modern art show.
The focus of Biennale (1995 theme "Imprints of the Body and Mind") had always been political (in 1995 it was the former Yugoslavia pavilion) and artistic (in 1995 Taiwan artist Wu Mali shredded Western and Asian literary masterpieces inside plastic videocassettes as a symbol of the censorship of print by video). Diana spent 40 minutes touring the Italian, Taiwan and British pavilions, before going sightseeing in the motorboat. The Italian government tried to keep the exhibit austere and impartial by appointing Picasso Museum curator Jean Clair from France as commissioner.
Accompanying Diana to Venice were her then private secretary, Patrick Jephson, then press secretary, Geoffrey Crawford, her dresser and two bodyguards, including officer Insp David Sharp.
Press vessels pursued the royal boat taking Diana, wearing a smart pale blue skirt and jacket, along Venetian waterways, a restricted route through narrow canals, on the way past some of the finest sights in the city and re-emerged into the Venetian Lagoon heading towards the five-star Cipriani Hotel, a well-known haunt of the rich and famous. Four police escort boats had to shield the royal boat from the press vessels.
After arriving in Venice, Diana went off sightseeing in St Mark's Basilica. Julia Peyton-Jones, then director of the Serpentine Art Gallery, joined Diana strolling around the San Marco cathedral with thousands of other tourists. To Diana's relief, very few tourists recognized her. That night, Diana was the guest of honor of Hong Kong magnate David Tang, at a glittering high-society fund-raising banquet for the Serpentine.
Diana had met David Tang earlier in 1995 on a visit to the former British colony.
Diana arrived by VIP motorboat on Venice's main waterway, the Grand Canal. Scholar Dr Paolo Viti welcomed Diana as she came ashore.
David Tang, who was organizing the Chinese exhibits at the Biennale reportedly paid the bill for the evening which included an al fresco reception in the grounds of the Guggenheim art gallery where guests were offered aperitifs.
Diana, a star guest at the 18th Century Palazzo Grassia, stole the show wearing a red beaded, silk organza cocktail dress which sparkled like her diamond and ruby necklace. The dress was designed by Jacques Azagury.
The Serpentine Gallery Appeal dinner hoped to raise £1.2 million for improvements to the Serpentine Gallery.
Gervase Webb, 'Evening Standard': "The beaded, silk organza cocktail dress she wore to the Serpentine Gallery Appeal dinner at the Palazzo Grassi would never have found favor with Charles, while the red satin 'tart's trotters' with their gold heels would have induced apoplexy. But for the Venetians they were a fashion triumph, drawing gasps of admiration. The cream of Venetian society and visiting American and British dignitaries paid dearly for the privilege of being with the Princess, and the consensus was that they got their money's worth. Among the 120 guests were Conservative MP Winston Churchill and former Tory Party treasurer Lord McAlpine."
