An architecture biennale opened in Venice: with a Ukrainian pavilion and attention to Africa

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On Saturday, May 20, the 18th Venice Architecture Biennale (Biennale Architettura) opened. For the first time in its history, it has an African curator, and also pays a lot of attention to works from this continent. For the first time in almost ten years, Ukraine will present its own pavilion here. Read UP.Culture in Telegram This year’s Architecture Biennale in Venice is held under the theme “Laboratory of the Future” and explores decolonization and decarbonization (the process of transition to a low-carbon economy). The Scottish-Ghanaian architect Leslie Lokko was chosen as its curator. Of the 89 participants in the main program, more than half are from Africa or are representatives of the African diaspora. “Africa is the laboratory of the future. It is the continent with the youngest population in the world, the fastest urbanising, and we are also at the forefront of the fight against climate change. Yes, the exhibition will be dedicated to Africa, but we are not only talking about Africa – we are using it as a place to , to try to understand everything and everywhere. After all, the Biennale itself is a workshop of the future,” Lokko said during a press conference in May 2022. Leslie Locko. Photo: La Biennale di Venezia Presiding over this year’s Architecture Biennale, Lokko called on architects, artists and designers to create their exhibitions in such a way as to reduce carbon emissions into the atmosphere as much as possible. This resulted in the presentation of more works in the form of drawings, films and projections, as well as the reuse of materials from last year’s Biennale of Contemporary Art. “We have been associated with resources since time immemorial. We work in a place where resources are not stable. They are also often fragile. They are often exploited. Our attitude towards them is exploitative,” Lokko said in an interview. Associated Press. The National Pavilions Biennale, which started on May 20 and runs until November 26, takes place in several locations: in the Giardini Park, the Arsenale and other venues throughout Venice. This year’s 89 participants represent 62 countries, adding layers and diversity to the Biennale’s main exhibition. According to the architecture and design magazine Dezeen, the most original pavilions this year were presented by Korea, Croatia, Latvia, Great Britain, Australia and Brazil. Pavilion of Croatia. Photo: Deezen The Brazil pavilion is dedicated to the theme of decolonization. In it, curators Gabriela de Matos and Paulo Tavares showcase the architectural heritage of indigenous Brazilians and challenge the narrative that Brasilia’s capital was built “in the middle of nowhere.” Their exhibition entitled “Terra” won the Golden Lion as the best national participant of this year’s Architecture Biennale. The Brazilian pavilion received the Golden Lion. Photo: Deezen “Decolonization is really an experience. It’s an open word, like freedom, like democracy,” Tavares said. How is Ukraine represented? The Ukrainian curators proposed two ideas for the Ukrainian pavilion, and they were both implemented because the organizers liked them. So, in fact, this year Ukraine will have two pavilions in two locations – in Giardina and Arsenal. They are united by a common theme – “Before the future”. “For Ukraine now, the future is first of all victory, but it is tied to what precedes it, to our losses in the present, and this is the paradox,” says one of the curators, Borys Filonenko. Ukrainian Pavilion in Giardina As AP notes, “Ukraine returns to the Biennale with two installations that, in the mildest possible way, remind us that there is a war going on in Europe.” The Ukrainian Pavilion at the Arsenal is a room with a very low ceiling and a floor covered with dark fabric, which is supposed to resemble a makeshift bomb shelter. It symbolizes the protective measures that Ukrainians take before the threat of Russian bombings. Photo: La Biennale di Venezia In the center of the Giardini, curators Iryna Miroshnikova, Oleksiy Petrov and Borys Filonenko recreated earthen embankments that served as barriers against 10th-century invaders. Although they were long abandoned, last spring they proved their effectiveness against Russian tanks. “These spaces, fortifications are a place where you can be in silence, relax. But it is also a kind of reminder that somewhere someone is afraid for their safety,” says Filonenko. The project of the space of the Ukrainian pavilion in Giardina. Photo: FORMA “Both locations will work with the theme of perception of space, which has changed a lot in us since the beginning of the war. We began to feel threatened by the open sky, and safety became the highest value,” said Petrov. Both Ukrainian spaces will also host a public program: representatives of the cultural community will tell stories, sharing their experience with the rest of the world. As of the end of April, more than 30 participants volunteered to take part in it, a third of them are not architects. Read also: Ukraine in Cannes – where to look for our films at the festival

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