Serbian Pavilion at the Venice Biennale
Aleksandar Denic
Exposition Coloniale
April 19–November 24, 2024
Serbian Pavilion at the Venice Biennale
Giardini
Venice
Italy
Hours: Tuesday–Sunday 10am–6pm
The title of the exhibition, Exposition Coloniale, recalls the consequences of the colonial era. This historical context sets the stage for Denic’s exploration of the contemporary ramifications of colonialism, and the ongoing impact of the division and subjugation of peoples and cultures. In today’s world, the themes of usurpation, division, and control continue to be pertinent, not only in the realm of politics and finance but also in the sphere of basic human values and principles.
Through his significant and awarded artistic experience in theater, Denić used his skills to delve into complex and pressing issues. Complex structures and spatial conglomerates are imbued with the anxieties of the society in which they exist. They act as social memorabilia, capturing the essence of human sojourn and reflecting the lost sensibility and intimacy of our interactions within them. By employing symbolic inversion within the exhibition, he challenges viewers,
placing them in a setup to reexamine their understanding of power dynamics, consumerism, and multiplied bitter realities in the current state of affairs. Finding himself personally, as a foreigner, as an artist who is professionally displaced to Germany and German-speaking areas, where he has worked in the last decades.
Commissioner: Jelena Medakovic
Curator: Ksenija Samardzija
