Pakui Hardware's 'Inflammation' Installation for Lithuania at 60th Venice Biennale

Pakui Hardware will represent Lithuania at the 60th Venice Biennale with a large-scale installation titled 'Inflammation' at the Chiesa di Sant’Antonin. The work explores how current conditions and historic systemic oppressions cause chronic inflammations in human and planetary bodies, advocating for a porous, interconnected approach over Western dualisms. The installation includes paintings by Lithuanian artist Marija Teresė Rožanskaitė from the 1970s and 80s, creating a trans-generational conversation. Isora x Lozuraityte Studio designed the architectural environment, with commissioner Arūnas Gelūnas and curators Valentinas Klimašauskas and João Laia supporting the vision. Pakui Hardware describes the Venice Biennale as a forum where multiple voices from different traditions share the same stage, serving as a thermometer for current artistic temperatures. The artists cite influences including Alina Szapocznikow, Eva Hesse, Lynda Benglis, Anu Põder, and Marija Teresė Rožanskaitė. They note that Lithuania's art scene benefits from a lack of strong art market pressure, fostering experimentation and cross-disciplinary collaboration. The 60th Venice Biennale runs from 20 April to 24 November 2024.