GRAFT to Curate German Pavilion at 2018 Venice Architecture Biennale
In 2018, the German Federal Ministry for the Environment selected the architectural firm GRAFT, comprising Lars Krückeberg, Wolfram Putz, and Thomas Willemeit, to create the German Pavilion for the 16th Venice Architecture Biennale. Their exhibit, "Unbuilding Walls," reflects on the concept of "Freespace," as emphasized by the event's Irish directors, Yvonne Farrell and Shelley McNamara. Collaborating with Marianne Birthler, a notable figure in Germany's history, GRAFT aims to address the duality of walls as both confines and safeguards, contemplating the nation’s past divisions and current global challenges. GRAFT was established in Los Angeles in 1998 and later expanded to Berlin and Beijing.
Key facts
- GRAFT will curate the German Pavilion at the 2018 Venice Architecture Biennale.
- The exhibition is titled 'Unbuilding Walls' and responds to the theme 'Freespace'.
- GRAFT founders are Lars Krückeberg, Wolfram Putz, and Thomas Willemeit.
- Marianne Birthler, former Federal Commissioner for the Stasi Records, will collaborate.
- The pavilion explores walls as symbols of division, power, exclusion, and protection.
- GRAFT was founded in 1998 in Los Angeles and has offices in Berlin and Beijing.
- GRAFT won the European Prize for Architect of the Year in 2011.
- Deadline for Italian pavilion 'Arcipelago Italia' extended to September 30, 2017.
Entities
Artists
- Lars Krückeberg
- Wolfram Putz
- Thomas Willemeit
- Marianne Birthler
- Yvonne Farrell
- Shelley McNamara
- Mario Cucinella
- Alessandro Mendini
- Bjarke Ingels
Institutions
- GRAFT
- BMUB – German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety
- Biennale di Architettura di Venezia
- Arcipelago Italia
- Centro Arti e Scienze Golinelli
Locations
- Germany
- Los Angeles
- Berlin
- Beijing
- China
- UAE
- Russia
- United States
- Mexico
- Venice
- Italy
- Bologna