Swiss entry for Venice Architecture Biennale inaugurated
Karin Sander and Philip Ursprung in their exhibit in Venice.
Keystone/gaetan Bally
Swiss President Alain Berset was in the Italian city on Thursday to open “Neighbours”, a work about how architecture can both separate and bring together.
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The official Swiss entry for this year’s 18th architecture biennaleExternal link was developed by artist Karin Sander and art and architecture historian Philip Ursprung, both professors at the federal technology institute ETH Zurich.
Their entry physically turns the Swiss pavilion in Venice into the exhibit, by looking at the history of the space, built in 1952, and particularly its architectural and political connection to the neighbouring pavilion of Venezuela, created in 1956.
The artists say that the two pavilions “form an ensemble of exceptional architectural and sculptural quality”, but are usually conceived of as separate. They want to “rethink the functions of the two pavilions and their surroundings in a new light and dissolve the borders with artistic means”.
Keystone/gaetan Bally
To do this, they also removed part of the wall that divides the Swiss and the Venezuelan pavilions, Keystone-SDA reports (see photo above).
“We [thus] question the spatial, cultural, and political demarcations as well as the conventions of national representation,” the artists sayExternal link on the website of Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia.
The project also examines the relationship and professional bond of the two architects behind the pavilions: the Swiss Bruno Giacometti (1907-2012) and the Italian Carlo Scarpa (1906-1978).
Alain Berset said on Thursday in Venice that walls had a bad reputation for “reinforcing differences and creating misunderstandings”; the Swiss exhibit however asks the question of whether there can be something “closer to us than what’s on the other side of the wall”.
“Neighbours” can be seen at the Swiss pavilion in Venice until November 26.
Works by two other Swiss artists – Ursula Biemann from Zurich and Geneva collective “Le laboratoire d’architecture” – are also on display in the Biennale’s main exhibition.
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Artist Karin Sander and architect Philip Ursprung are to represent Switzerland at this year's Biennale in the Italian city of Venice.
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