Four National Pavilions at Venice Biennale 2024 Explore Decolonization and Material Politics
The 60th Venice Biennale, named 'Foreigners Everywhere' and overseen by curator Adriano Pedrosa, delves into themes of migration and decolonization. The Republic of Benin makes its entrance with 'Everything Precious is Fragile,' showcasing Romuald Hazoumè's dome constructed from charred plastic petrol tanks alongside Chloe Quenum's window frame featuring colonial glass. Türkiye presents 'Hollow and Broken' by Gülsün Karamustafa, which critiques imperial aesthetics through hollow plastic columns. In August 2023, curator Esra Sarıgedik Öktem stepped down amid controversies surrounding the Istanbul Biennial. Argentina's Luciana Lamothe exhibits 'Ojala se derrumben las puertas,' incorporating wooden planks and video projections. The Philippines Pavilion by Mark Salvatus features a film of musicians near Mount Banahaw, alluding to a figure of colonial resistance. These installations examine historical violence and the complexities of national identity.
Key facts
- The 60th Venice Biennale is curated by Adriano Pedrosa and titled 'Foreigners Everywhere.'
- Benin's debut pavilion 'Everything Precious is Fragile' features artists Romuald Hazoumè and Chloe Quenum.
- Gülsün Karamustafa's Türkiye Pavilion includes hollow plastic columns mimicking imperial architecture.
- Esra Sarıgedik Öktem resigned as Türkiye Pavilion curator in August 2023 due to controversy.
- Luciana Lamothe's Argentina installation uses undulating wood planks with charred branches and video projections.
- Mark Salvatus's Philippines Pavilion includes a film shot at Mount Banahaw and fiberglass boulders with trumpets.
- The Philippines pavilion title references resistance against Spanish Catholic colonial rule.
- The Biennale's theme focuses on artists who are foreigners, immigrants, or refugees.
Entities
Artists
- Adriano Pedrosa
- Romuald Hazoumè
- Chloe Quenum
- Gülsün Karamustafa
- Esra Sarıgedik Öktem
- Luciana Lamothe
- Mark Salvatus
- W.B. Yeats
- Cornelia Parker
Institutions
- Venice Biennale
- Republic of Benin
- Türkiye Pavilion
- Argentina Pavilion
- Philippines Pavilion
- Istanbul Biennial
- IKSV
- Spanish Catholic church
Locations
- Venice
- Italy
- Benin
- Türkiye
- Argentina
- Philippines
- Istanbul
- Mount Banahaw
- Constantinople