Iranian Trio's Alluvium Clay Installation at OGR Torino Venice Project During 2022 Biennale

During the 2022 Venice Biennale, OGR Torino returned to the lagoon with a site-responsive project titled ALLUVIUM, featuring Iranian artists Ramin Haerizadeh, Rokni Haerizadeh, and Hesam Rahmanian. The installation, opening April 23, 2022, at the Atrio Moderno of the Complesso dell'Ospedaletto, centers on clay—the alluvial sediment deposited by flowing water. For two years, the artists worked with Dubai-based blacksmith Mohammed Rahis Mollah to create iron structures supporting terracotta plates made by local artisans following Middle Eastern tradition. The plates are decorated with rewritten images from news media, overlapped and arranged in geometric axes reminiscent of Islamic ceramics, offering an alternative imaginary to official media narratives. OGR CEO Massimo Lapucci noted the resonance between Venice's layered history—built on piles, continuously restored and enriched by diverse cultures—and the artists' practice of cultural re-elaboration and superimposition of references. The project was curated by Samuele Piazza and ran until November 27, 2022.