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Smach Biennale: Contemporary Art Trekking in the Dolomites

festival-fair · 2026-04-27

The fifth iteration of Smach, a modern art biennial set in the Dolomites, commenced in Alta Badia, showcasing ten installations tailored to their locations. The theme, centered on fragility, features pieces curated by a panel that includes Gerhard Demetz and Giacinto Di Pietrantonio. Visitors can explore the artworks through hikes or a three-day trekking route. Highlights include 'Metafisica dell’occasione' by Sara Ambrosini & Giorgia Marchetti at Lago di Munt da Rina and 'Fragile as a Rainbow' by Xinge Zhang & Jiaqi Qiu at Passo delle Erbe. Additional works comprise a massive syringe by Jose Antonio Barrientos de Orca at Pra de Pütia and a countdown timer by Andrea Ventimiglia & Alessandro Zotta set for January 1, 2035. Val dl’Ert also features a permanent sculpture park with around fifteen pieces from past editions.

Key facts

  • Fifth edition of Smach biennial titled after fragility
  • Ten site-specific installations in Alta Badia, Dolomites
  • Works selected by jury: Gerhard Demetz, Giacinto Di Pietrantonio, Guus van den Hout, Julia Bornefeld, Giulia Ferracci
  • Trekking circuit of three days and two nights to see all works
  • Sara Ambrosini & Giorgia Marchetti: 'Metafisica dell’occasione' at Lago di Munt da Rina
  • Xinge Zhang & Jiaqi Qiu: 'Fragile as a Rainbow' at Passo delle Erbe near Rifugio Maurerberghütte
  • Jose Antonio Barrientos de Orca: giant syringe at Pra de Pütia
  • Alice Cecchini & Roman Joliy: 'La casa della narrativa'
  • Elisabetta Trussoni & Nicoletta Aveni: stacked stones at Pares
  • Giacomo Savio: 'Blu delle Dolomiti' beach cabin at Tru di Lêc
  • Notta Caflisch: 'Nation State or State of a Nation' biodegradable flags at La Crusc
  • Dimitrii Khramov & Maria Khramova: 'Mama' honoring mother who died of COVID-19
  • Arturs Punte and Jekabs Volatovskis: acoustic cones at Fanes
  • Andrea Ventimiglia & Alessandro Zotta: 'VAZ' countdown timer to January 1, 2035
  • Permanent sculpture park in Val dl’Ert with about 15 works from previous editions
  • Visual identity by Studiopuls, photography by Gustav Willeit

Entities

Artists

  • Gerhard Demetz
  • Giacinto Di Pietrantonio
  • Guus van den Hout
  • Julia Bornefeld
  • Giulia Ferracci
  • Sara Ambrosini
  • Giorgia Marchetti
  • Xinge Zhang
  • Jiaqi Qiu
  • Jose Antonio Barrientos de Orca
  • Alice Cecchini
  • Roman Joliy
  • Elisabetta Trussoni
  • Nicoletta Aveni
  • Giacomo Savio
  • Notta Caflisch
  • Dimitrii Khramov
  • Maria Khramova
  • Arturs Punte
  • Jekabs Volatovskis
  • Andrea Ventimiglia
  • Alessandro Zotta
  • Gustav Willeit
  • Marco Enrico Giacomelli

Institutions

  • Smach
  • Dolomiti Contemporanee
  • Biennale Gherdëina
  • Artribune
  • Riga Arturs Punte
  • Studiopuls

Locations

  • Dolomites
  • Alta Badia
  • Lago di Munt da Rina
  • Passo delle Erbe
  • Rifugio Maurerberghütte
  • Pra de Pütia
  • Pares
  • Tru di Lêc
  • La Crusc
  • Fanes
  • Val dl’Ert
  • Borca di Cadore
  • Ortisei
  • Italy

Sources