Venice Design Biennial explores 'Auto-Exotic' theme alongside Architecture Biennale

The fourth edition of the Venice Design Biennial, titled 'Auto-Exotic', runs from May 19 to June 18, 2023, across four venues in Venice. Curated by Luca Berta and Francesca Giubilei, the event accompanies the first month of the Architecture Biennale. The theme examines how exoticism now resides in proximity and cultural difference rather than geographical distance, reflecting a post-globalization turn toward local vernacular traditions. The curators cite the pandemic as a catalyst for this trend, but note that interest in craft and the vernacular was already growing. Featured designers include Anna Resei and Ada Sokół, who combine digital aesthetics with natural inspiration; Jonas Hejduk, who created a rug evoking early internet low-resolution images; and Australian designer Trent Jansen, whose monumental cabinet 'Magistrato al Sal Nero' (produced by Vetralia Collectible) addresses Venice's ambivalent relationship with salt. A tucul (traditional thatched hut) at the Hotel Des Bains will host a design selection from June 1. The biennial also includes collateral projects at symbolic city locations.