The 5 best exhibitions to see at the Venice Biennale

The Venice Biennale is perhaps one of the most exciting and interesting events on the world scene regarding the unique intersection of art, architecture and design that is reflected in the immortal beauty of the Laguna. As this is the edition of the restart after the lockdown, the enthusiasm is clearly skyrocketing and there will be many exhibitions and side events that will animate not only the city but the entire region.

Here are the best exhibitions to visit.

Design in pratica/”Pratiche di design virtuso”

JoeVelluto Studio's solo exhibition, curated by Leonardo Caffo in Padua, wants to reflect on the potential that design has to inspire a change in our lifestyle and habits. The design therefore comes as a virtuous practice, inspired by a structured path around the Eightfold Buddhist Path. The Design concept in Practice will be divided around eight points to try to imagine a more ethical, responsible and conscious lifestyle, obviously applied to design and design. The exhibition can also be visited online through the dedicated website/platform that will remain active even after the exhibition is finished. The opening will be on September 17th at the Cavour Civic Gallery, but on the occasion of the opening of the Venice Biennale of Architecture a talk will be organized at Ocean Space.

From September 17 to Novemeber 1 

Piazza Camillo Benso Conte di Cavour 73b

Padova

Hakka Earthen Houses on variation-Co-operative Living, Art and Migration Architecture in China

Immigration has become in recent years one of the hottest cultural and social issues, capable of fuelling conflicts, power games but also exchanges and integration between ethnic traditions and migratory environments that are the challenges and prerequisites necessary for the development of multiculturalism today. China's Hakka Round Houses and their settlements become through the exhibition a possible solution to the issues raised by the phenomenon. The exhibition will explore the possibility of positive interaction between migratory settlements in different areas through the creation of constructions and the organization of the community.

Forte Marghera, Padiglione 30

June 22nd – November 21st, 2 pm - 8 pm, closed on Monday

Not Vital. SCARCH - Abbazia di San Giorgio Maggiore

Not Vital is a Swiss artist who since the 1970s has been organizing traveling exhibitions around the world. In his practice, the creative explores the space and the socio-cultural aspects of his multiple homes and workplaces. The centerpiece of the exhibition in Venice is an iteration of his global project House to Watch the Sunset, originally launched in 2005, with the aim of building a structure for the sole purpose of contemplating the sunset. Visitors will see the fifth and final version, made of aluminum in Italy, slightly reflective to create a dialogue with the church designed by Andrea Palladio. The installation is oriented eastwards to address the rising sun, an ancient Christian symbol, following the axis of the ancient churches.

Abbazia di San Giorgio Maggiore, Isola di San Giorgio Maggiore

10 am – 6 pm, closed on Monday

Salon Suisse 2021: Bodily Encounters

Housed in the historic Trevisan Palace, the "Salon Suisse" 2021, entitled Bodily Encounters, investigates the fundamental relationships between body and architecture. The exhibition revolves around the fundamental relationships between body and architecture, between environment and psychology – both personally and socially. With the aim of rekindling cultural debate, interactions between people and architecture are examined through the multiple lenses of transhumanism, fluid spaces, medical anthropology, psychoanalysis, mood-sensitive homes, and many others.

Palazzo Trevisan degli Ulivi, Dorsoduro, 810 (campo Sant’ Agnese)

September 23rd – 25th; October 21st – 23rd; November 18th – 20th

Tropicalia – Architecture, Materials, Innovative Systems

The protagonist of this exhibition is Tropicalia, the largest single-domed greenhouse in the world, designed by the Coldefy studio. The exhibition presents the latest results of research on tropical flora and fauna, the architectural and engineering uniqueness of the project, and its innovative sustainable air treatment system. In 2024, the greenhouse will be built on the Côte d'Opale (France) to offer a unique experience, discovering the extraordinary and at the same time fragile tropical ecosystem. Meanwhile, through architectural models, drawings, sketches, videos and explanatory material, the exhibition will immerse visitors in their environmental and educational message but also in the details of design and construction.

Squero Castello, Castello, 369 (salizada Streta)

10 am – 1 pm and 2 pm – 6 pm, closed on Monday