ARTIVISM: THE ATROCITY PREVENTION PAVILION // THE AUSCHWITZ INSTITUTE FOR PEACE + RECONCILIATION
May 10th 2019 - November 24th 2019
ARTIVISM: THE ATROCITY PREVENTION PAVILION.
Location: Palazzo Dandolo, San Polo 2879, 30125 Venice. Google maps link.
Opening hours: 10:00 - 18:00, closed Monday + Tuesday.
Curators: Dr Kerry Whigham, Francesca Giubilei + Luca Berta.
SPECIAL PERFORMANCE 11.07.2019 // 10:00-20:00
On July 11th, artist Aida Šehovič hosted the annual event ŠTO TE NEMA in commemoration of the Srebrenica genocide. The event was held at the Serra dei Giardini, in the heart of Venice's Biennale district. To find out more about the nomadic monument, please click here.
The Auschwitz Institute for Peace and Reconciliation presents Artivism: The Atrocity Prevention Pavilion, an independent exhibition during the 58. Venice Biennale. In this exhibition art becomes a tool to reflect upon and respond to systematic violence, large-scale atrocity and mass genocide. Participating artists include Rebin Chalek, Grupo de Arte Callejero, Intuthuko Embroidery Collective, Elisabeth Ida Mulyani, Aida Šehović and the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation.
Artivism: The Atrocity Prevention Pavilion is an exhibition organised by the Auschwitz Institute for Peace and Reconciliation (AIPR) in which art is transformed into a catalyst for social awareness and change regarding systematic violence. Individual artists and activist collectives from various countries such as Argentina, Bosnia and Herzegovina / the United States, Canada, Belgium / Indonesia, Iraq and South Africa present their artworks in response to the brutalities they have experienced in the hopes of preventing future atrocities. As such, art acts as an instrument of social transformation through prevention, memory and recognition of what has happened to the communities involved.
Works such as the coffee ritual of Aida Šehović, the provocative street signs from the Street Artist Group, the tapestries and embroidered fabrics from the South African women of the Intuthuko Embroidery Collective, the white masks from artist Rebin Chalek, the traditional and original objects from ancient Canadian civilisations, and the sculptures by Elisabeth Ida Mulyani encourage the visitor to reflect upon the works and the issues they present.
Visitors are called upon to take action and to contribute to making a change, as they are invited to commit a minute, an hour or a day of their time to get involved in the fight against the brutality of genocide. The exhibition therefore becomes a process of exploration and reflection, reaching an emotional crescendo through an awareness of the atrocities perpetuated in the past and on the numerous violent attacks that are still being committed today.
© Matteo Bertolin