Manifesta 12 in Palermo Explores Borders and Coexistence Through Garden Metaphor
From June 6 to November 4, 2018, Palermo hosted the 12th edition of Manifesta, the European biennial, under the theme 'The Planetary Garden. Cultivating Coexistence.' The curators employed the concept of a garden as both an exhibition framework and a metaphor for the city’s diverse society. The event showcased three main strands across various locations, including Palazzo Butera and the Botanical Gardens. Featured works in the 'Out of Control Room' included Laura Poitras and Tania Bruguera’s examination of a US military base in Sicily, Trevor Paglen's biometric portraits, and John Gerrard's digital representations of migrant fatalities. Kader Attia tackled issues of cultural appropriation, while Toyin Ojih Odutola and Lungiswa Gqunta investigated themes of colonial violence and cross-cultural exchange. OMA focused on urban dynamics, highlighting local adaptation and human connections.
Key facts
- Manifesta 12 ran from June 6 to November 4, 2018
- The theme was 'The Planetary Garden. Cultivating Coexistence'
- Venues included Palazzo Butera and the Botanical Gardens in Palermo
- The exhibition was divided into three strands
- Artists addressed borders, migration, and sovereignty in 'Out of Control Room'
- Works referenced US military bases and surveillance in Sicily
- John Gerrard's piece depicted a site where 71 migrants died
- The biennial explored garden metaphors for multicultural society and colonial impulses
Entities
Artists
- Renato Leotta
- Laura Poitras
- Tania Bruguera
- Trevor Paglen
- John Gerrard
- Kader Attia
- Toyin Ojih Odutola
- Lungiswa Gqunta
- Uriel Orlow
- Jelili Atiku
- Melanie Benajo
- Roberto Collovà
- Rotor
- Daniel Fernández Pascual
- Alon Schwabe
- Marinella Senatore
- Gilles Clément
- Maria Thereza Alves
- Giorgio Vasta
- Coloco
- Cooking Sections
- Khalil Rabah
- Miguel Georgieff
- Pablo Georgieff
- Nicolas Bonnenfant
- Emma Dante
- Licia Eminenti
- Ramak Fazel
- Letizia Gullo
- Fulvio Abbate
- VacuaMoenia
- Bregtje van der Haak
- Andrés Jacques
- Mirjam Varadinis
- Ippolito Pestellini Laparelli
- Francesco Lo Jacono
- Alberto Baraya
- Leone Contini
- Melanie Bonajo
- Fallen Fruit
- Patricia Kaersenhout
- Forensic Oceanography
- James Bridle
- Lydia Ourahname
- Masbedo
- Yuri Ancarani
- Simon Starling
- Per Barclay
- Massimo Bartolini
- Evgeny Antufiev
- Allora and Calzadilla
- Berlinde de Bruyckere
- Mimmo Cuticchio
- Vincenzo De Seta
- Caravaggio
- Francisco de Zurbarán
- Hedwig Fijen
- Massimo Valsecchi
- Francesca Valsecchi
- Francesco Pantaleone
- Ludovico Pratesi
- Andrés Jaque
- Arianna Testino
- Francesco Lojacono
Institutions
- Manifesta
- ArtReview
- OMA
- Forensic Oceanography
- Teatro Garibaldi
- Orto Botanico
- Palazzo Butera
- Palazzo Forcella De Seta
- Palazzo Ajutamicristo
- Palazzo Costantino
- Chiesa dei SS. Euno e Giuliano
- ZEN district
- Pizzo Sella
- Piazza Magione
- Laboratorio Zen Insieme
- Ortocapovolto
- Coldiretti Sicilia
- Riwaq Biennale
- Al Ma'mal Foundation for Contemporary Art
- ArtSchool Palestine
- Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia di Palermo
- Biennale di Venezia
- New Museum of Contemporary Art
- SAVVY Contemporary
- Biennale di Marrakech
- Parc de la Villette
- Tate Britain
- Triennale di Aichi
- Triennale di Guangzhou
- Fondazione Prada
- La Triennale di Milano
- Palazzo Grassi
- Centre Pompidou
- Queens Museum
- La Repubblica
- Il Sole 24 Ore
- Il Manifesto
- Artribune
- Archivio di Stato
- Chiesa di San Giovanni dell'Origlione
- Galleria Franco Noero
- Cavallerizza di Palazzo Mazzarino
- Palazzo Oneto
- Fondazione Volume!
- Museo Archeologico Antonino Salinas
- Collezione Maramotti
- Fondazione Merz
- I never read
- Galleria Continua
- Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia
- Festival delle Letterature Migranti
- Coloco
- Teatro Biondo
- Unipa (University of Palermo)
- Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Tourism (Italy)
- Palermo Botanical Garden
- Galleria d'Arte Moderna di Palermo
Locations
- Palermo
- Italy
- Sicily
- Austria
- West Africa
- Mediterranean
- Nigeria
- Belgium
- Ireland
- Switzerland
- Spain
- Israel
- France
- Brazil
- San Paolo
- Berlin
- Lagos
- Creuse
- Paris
- Montpellier
- London
- United Kingdom
- North Tipperary
- Zurich
- Jerusalem
- Palestine
- Ramallah
- Cava de' Tirreni
- New York
- Venice
- Marrakech
- Aichi
- Guangzhou
- China
- Milano
- Vienna
- Parndorf
- Versailles
- Orto Botanico
- Palazzo Butera
- Kalsa
- Palazzo Forcella De Seta
- Porta dei Greci
- Palazzo Ajutamicristo
- Palazzo Costantino
- Oratorio della Madonna del Rifugio dei Peccatori Pentiti
- Archivio di Stato
- Chiesa di San Giovanni dell'Origlione
- Cavallerizza di Palazzo Mazzarino
- Palazzo Oneto
- Palazzo Steri
- Museo Archeologico Antonino Salinas
- Chiesa di Santa Venera
- Haiti
- Malta
- La Valletta
- Algeria
- Cuba
- Colombia
- Netherlands
- Russia
- UK
- US
- Middle East
- Australia
- Japan
- Mexico
- ZEN neighborhood
- Mondello
- Pizzo Sella
- Rome
- Piazza Magione
- Chiesa dei Santi Euno e Giuliano
- ZEN