Netherlands rents Rietveld Pavilion to Estonia for 2022 Venice Biennale

For the first time since 1954, the Netherlands will not use its historic Gerrit Thomas Rietveld-designed pavilion in the Giardini for the Venice Biennale. Instead, it will rent the structure to Estonia and mount its own exhibition at the Chiesetta della Misericordia in Cannaregio, a venue previously used by Iran. The handover ceremony took place at the Mondriaan Fund, which manages the Dutch pavilion, featuring a roundtable titled 'Who Represents Who at the Venice Biennale?' and a performance by Estonian multidisciplinary artist Jüri Ojaver, who represented Estonia at the 1999 Biennale. Speakers included Mondriaan Fund director Eelco van der Lingen, CCA Tallinn director Maria Arusoo, Estonian Ministry of Culture representative Taaniel Raudsepp, and Dutch Deputy Ambassador to Estonia Iris de Groot. Van der Lingen stated the one-time transfer demonstrates appreciation for Estonia's visual arts and offers the Netherlands a chance to leave its comfort zone. For the 59th Venice Biennale (23 April–27 November 2022), the Netherlands will present a show by digital eco-feminist artist Melanie Bonajo, curated by Orlando Maaike Gouwenberg, Geir Haraldseth, and Soraya Pol. Bonajo will create a feature-length film and artist's book in an immersive environment. Her work challenges divisions between human/nature and technology. Further details on the Estonian pavilion will be announced in December 2021.