Ex-Soviet Republics at the 2019 Venice Biennale: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Latvia, Lithuania

The 2019 Venice Biennale featured national pavilions from five former Soviet republics, each addressing themes of resistance, technology, and critical thinking. Armenia's pavilion, curated by Artlabyerevan, presented 'Revolutionary Sensorium', a four-screen video installation documenting the 2008 velvet revolution, alongside a performance by Narine Arakelian evoking the 'Protest of the Pots'. Azerbaijan's pavilion, curated by Gianni Mercurio and Emin Mammadov, showcased 'Virtual reality' with works by Zeigam Azizov, Zarnishan Yusifova, Kanan Aliyev, Ulviyya Aliyeva, and Orkhan Mammadov, exploring technology's manipulative potential. Georgia's pavilion featured Anna K.E.'s architectural installation 'Rearmirrorview', a pixel-like arena warning against reconstructed reality. Latvia presented Daiga Grantina's 'Saules Suns', a sculptural universe of reimagined materials, while Lithuania's pavilion won the Golden Lion for Best National Participation with 'Sun & Sea (Marina)', a performance by Lina Lapelytė, Vaiva Grainytė, and Rugilė Barzdžiukaitė depicting vacationers' anxieties over political and environmental crises.