Manifesta 12 Biennial in Palermo Confronts Migration, Mafia, and Climate Change
The 12th edition of Manifesta, Europe’s biennial art event, commenced in Palermo and will continue until November 4. Since his initial election in 1985, Mayor Leoluca Orlando, a 71-year-old attorney, has worked to diminish mafia influence in Sicily. His support for immigration stands in stark contrast to the federal policies of Italy. Hedwig Fijen, the director of Manifesta, characterized the event as "radically local and relevant," addressing themes such as crime and climate change. Titled "The Planetary Garden," the exhibition features a curatorial team that includes Andrès Jaque and Ippolito Pestellini Laparelli. Spanning 20 venues, it showcases sections like Garden of Flows and Out of Control Room, highlighting artists such as Tania Bruguera and Laura Poitras. The idea for the biennial originated from OMA's "Palermo Atlas."
Key facts
- Manifesta 12 runs in Palermo until November 4.
- Palermo Mayor Leoluca Orlando, first elected in 1985, is a key figure advocating for immigrant rights.
- Orlando defied Interior Minister Matteo Salvini's 2018 order blocking migrant ship Aquarius.
- 400,000 migrants have entered Sicily in the last two years.
- The biennial's title, "The Planetary Garden," references botanist Gilles Clément.
- The exhibition is curated by a team including Andrès Jaque, Ippolito Pestellini Laparelli, Bregtje van der Haak, and Mirjam Varadinis.
- Works are displayed across 20 venues, including the Botanical Garden founded in 1789.
- A performance program referenced local religious festivals like that of Santa Rosalia.
Entities
Artists
- Leoluca Orlando
- Matteo Salvini
- Martin Heidegger
- Hans Georg Gadamer
- Hedwig Fijen
- Gilles Clément
- Andrès Jaque
- Ippolito Pestellini Laparelli
- Bregtje van der Haak
- Mirjam Varadinis
- Alberto Baraya
- Jelili Atiku
- Matilde Cassani
- Masbedo
- Tania Bruguera
- Kader Attia
- Erkan Özgen
- Patricia Kaersenhout
- Filippo Minelli
- Laura Poitras
- Pina Bausch
Institutions
- Manifesta
- OMA
- Movimento No Muos
Locations
- Palermo
- Sicily
- Italy
- Heidelberg
- Germany
- Spain
- Rotterdam
- Netherlands
- Saint Petersburg
- Zurich
- Switzerland
- Niscemi