The Biennale Architettura 2020 opening rescheduled to May 2021
The 17th International Architecture Exhibition “How will we live together?” curated by Hashim Sarkis, will take place in Venice from 22 May to 21 November 2021. Consequently, the 59th International Art Exhibition, has been postponed to 2022.
La Biennale di Venezia announced yesterday that because of the international state of emergency, the complex and worldwide 17th International Architecture Exhibition How will we live together? cannot be realised as scheduled. Previously, the opening of the exhibition was rescheduled from the original date 23 May 2020 to the end of August 2020, but because of the current situation, it is impossible to advance with the exhibition productions. The current situation has prejudiced the realisation of the exhibition in its entirety, jeopardising the realisation, transport and presence of the works and consequently the quality of the exhibition itself.
Together with Curator Hashim Sarkis and considering the difficulties of the invited architects, institutions, pavilion countries and partners, La Biennale di Venezia decided to postpone the exhibition to 2021. Next year, The Biennale Architettura will be open to the public for six months on 22 May to 21 November 2021.
La Biennale di Venezia’s President Roberto Cicutto:
“The last few days have clarified the real state of the situation we are all facing. With the utmost respect for the work done by all of us, the investments made by the participants, and considering the difficulties that all countries, institutions, universities, architectural studios have met together with the uncertainty of the shipments, personal travel restraints and Covid-19 protective measures that are being and were be adopted, we have decided to listen to those, the majority, who requested that the Biennale Architettura be postponed. I have received many messages asking for a postponement to 2021. We now plan to open the 17th International Architecture Exhibition in May 2021 and allow it a longer life until November, as it was before the pandemic.
“Nevertheless, Architecture will be in Venice this Fall organizing several events keeping at the centre of the stage the question, more relevant than ever, of How will we live together?.”
The Curator Hashim Sarkis:
“I am deeply moved by the perseverance of all the participants during the last three months. I hope that the new opening date will allow them first to catch their breath, and then to complete their work with the time and vigour it truly deserves. We did not plan it this way. Neither the question I asked “How will we live together?” nor the wealth of ways in response to it, were meant to address the crisis they are living, but here we are.
“We are, in some ways, fortunate because we are well equipped to absorb the immediate and longer-term implications of the crisis into the 17th Biennale. The theme does also provide us with the possibility to respond to the pandemic in its immediacy. This is why we will return to Venice in the coming months for a series of activities devoted to the Architecture.”
Finland participates to the 17th International Architecture Exhibition with the exhibition of the Pavilion of Finland, New Standards, commissioned by Archinfo Finland. The Museum of Finnish Architecture together with Sweden’s National Centre for Architecture and Design ArkDes and The National Museum of Norway, commission the exhibition What we share for the Nordic Pavilion. In the 59th International Art Exhibition, the exhibition of the Pavilion of Finland is commissioned by Frame Contemporary Art Finland. The exhibition of Nordic Pavilion is commissioned by the Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma together with Swedish and Norwegian partners.
