Brazil bags Golden Lion; British Pavilion gets “special mention”
Zaha Hadid Architects principal Patrik Schumacher has launched a tirade against the content of this year’s Venice Biennale, flagging the absence of architecture at the event – and declaring the future of the globe’s biggest architectural gathering as “up for grabs”.
“Most national pavilions, including all major European nations like Germany, France, Spain, UK, Belgium, Holland, Norway/Sweden, Finland, but also Japan, Canada, Australia and the USA refuse to show the work of their architects, or any architecture whatsoever,” he wrote in a 1,000-plus word diatribe on Facebook. “I don’t know about other national pavilions. I gave up after seeing no architecture in 12 out of 12 pavilions.”
The Bonn-born architect directed particular criticism at the German Pavilion, which is filled with piles of construction material.
“German architecture has been absent in Venice for years,” Schumacher said. “The same applies to British architecture. Why the architects of these countries put up with this seems puzzling. Are they too shamefaced about their work to raise their hands above the parapet?
“In the case of the German Pavilion, the current emphatic absence of architecture has been explicitly endorsed by the president of the German chamber of architects in a conversation in front of the German pavilion filled with the rubble of the previous Biennale. What are these curators expecting the unsuspecting general public who come to visit an architecture Biennale to make of this?”
Schumacher said that only the Chinese Pavilion and the international show – with Chinese architects and the work of Adjaye Associates in particular – appeared to be an exception.
“Everybody else invited has been playing along with using exhibition space for documentary-style intellectual-artistic allusions to moral issues, garnished with pretentious critical-speak,” he said. “Architects want to talk about (and see) architecture. If everything lamentable or unjust, or urgent in the world is now an urgent, overriding concern of architecture, then this is not only an absurd overreach unhinged from architecture’s competency, but the very dissolution and disappearance of this discipline.”
Schumacher concluded his piece by arguing that the only thing in sight at the event was that the “vital function” that the Venice Biennale used to fill for architects is “up for grabs”.
Brazil bags Golden Lion Award
The Brazilian Pavilion, titled “Terra” – or earth – has been awarded this year’s Golden Lion Award for best national participation.
It explores notions of reparation among black and indigenous populations. It features work by Ana Flávia Magalhães Pinto; Ayrson Heráclito; Day Rodrigues with Vilma Patrícia Santana Silva; Fissura collective; Ilê Axé Iyá Nassô Oká (Casa Branca do Engenho Velho); Juliana Vicente; Mbya-Guarani Indigenous People; Tukano, Arawak and Maku Indigenous Peoples; Tecelãs do Alaká (Ilê Axé Opô Afonjá); Thierry Oussou; and Vídeo nas Aldeias.
The British Pavilion, “Dancing Before the Moon”, was the only national pavilion to get a special mention from judges.
It was curated by Jayden Ali, Joseph Henry, Meneesha Kellay and Sumitra Upham. It features work by Yussef Agbo-Ola; Jayden Al; Mac Collins; Shawanda Corbett; Madhav Kidao; and Sandra Poulson.
Golden Lion for the best participant in the Biennale went to Alessandro Petti and Sandi Hilal’s DAAR practice, in recognition of their long-standing commitment to deep political engagement with architectural and learning practices of decolonisation in Palestine and Europe.
The Silver Lion Award for a promising young participant in the Biennale went to Nigeria-born US resident Olalekan Jeyifous. Zimbabwe-born London resident Thandi Loewenson received a special mention in the category.
Nigerian-born artist, designer and architect Demas Nwoko was awarded the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement on the recommendation of Biennale curator Lesley Lokko.
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