Biennale Gherdëina. The 7th edition is about to begin in the heart of the Dolomites

At Ortisei/Val Gardena (South Tyrol), UNESCO world heritage site, the art biennale will take place from August 8 until October 20.

The 2020 edition of the Biennale Gherdëina, entitled "– a breath? a name? – the ways of worldmaking", is encompassing themes such as the meaning of belonging, community, responsibility, care and humility. The art exhibition is curated by Adam Budak, who was also responsible for the last two editions, "From Here to Eternity" (2016) and "Writing the Mountains" (2018). This year he will conclude his trilogy, again with contents that embrace the unique nature, culture and history of this Dolomite valley through contemporary artworks in public spaces. 

Exhibition view at Sala Trenker, Biennale Gherdëina  

Photo T. Sorvillo, L. Guadagnini

Paloma Varga Weisz, Agnieszka Brzeżańska and Paolo Icaro. Exhibition view at Sala Trenker, Biennale Gherdëina

Photo T. Sorvillo, L. Guadagnini

Exhibition view at Sala Trenker, Biennale Gherdëina

Photo T. Sorvillo, L. Guadagnini

Exhibition view at Sala Trenker, Biennale Gherdëina

Photo T. Sorvillo, L. Guadagnini

Exhibition view at Sala Trenker, Biennale Gherdëina

Photo T. Sorvillo, L. Guadagnini

Agnieszka Brzeżańska and Ingrid Hora. Exhibition view at Sala Trenker, Biennale Gherdëina

Photo T. Sorvillo, L. Guadagnini

Pavel Büchler, Habima Fuchs and Pakui Hardware. Exhibition view at Sala Trenker, Biennale Gherdëina

Photo T. Sorvillo, L. Guadagnini

Habima Fuchs, Five Elements, 2020. Mural

Courtesy of the artist. Photo T. Sorvillo, L. Guadagnini

Hans Josephsohn, Installation view at Biennale Gherdëina 7

Courtesy of the Kesselhaus-Josephsohn, St. Gallen. Photo T. Sorvillo, L. Guadagnini

Henrik Håkansson, A Tree Mirrored (Pinus Cembra), 2020. Installation

ourtesy of the artist and Galleria Franco Noero, Turin. Photo T. Sorvillo, L. Guadagnini

Ingrid Hora, The Great Leap Forward, 2011. Sculpture

Courtesy of the artist and Doris Ghetta Gallery, Ortisei. Photo T. Sorvillo, L. Guadagnini

Installation view at Teatro Pilat, Ortisei. Opening Biennale Gherdëina 7

Photo T. Sorvillo

Josef Dabernig, Cinema of Worldmaking, 2020. Vista installazione al Hotel Ladinia, Ortisei. Biennale Gherdëina 7

Courtesy of the artist. Photo T. Sorvillo

Josef Dabernig, Cinema of Worldmaking, 2020. Vista installazione al Hotel Ladinia, Ortisei. Biennale Gherdëina 7

Courtesy of the artist. Photo T. Sorvillo

Josef Dabernig, Heavy Metal Detox, 2019. Video, 12'. Installation view at Dr. Pietro Rigotti Zahnarztpraxis, Ortisei. Biennale Gherdëina 7

Photo T. Sorvillo, L. Guadagnini

Josef Dabernig, Installation view at Museum Gherdëina. Biennale Gherdëina 7

Courtesy of the artist. Photo T. Sorvillo, L. Guadagnini

LangBaumann, Beautiful Entrance #8, 2020. Paint. 5 x 16.5 m

Photo L. B.

LangBaumann, Beautiful Entrance #17, 2020. Paint. 5 x 16.5 m

Photo L. B.

Marcello Maloberti, from Martellate. Scritti Fighi, 1990-2020

Courtesy of the artist and Galleria Raffaella Cortese, Milan. Photo T. Sorvillo

Marcello Maloberti, from Martellate. Scritti Fighi, 1990-2020

Courtesy of the artist and Galleria Raffaella Cortese, Milan. Photo T. Sorvillo

Marcello Maloberti, from Martellate. Scritti Fighi, 1990-2020

Courtesy of the artist and Galleria Raffaella Cortese, Milan. Photo T. Sorvillo

Maria Papadimitriou, Disco for one, 2020. Installation. Biennale Gherdëina 7

Courtesy of the artist. Photo T. Sorvillo, L. Guadagnini

Opening Biennale Gherdëina 7, 08.08.2020

Photo T. Sorvillo

Opening Biennale Gherdëina 7, 08.08.2020

Photo T. Sorvillo

Paulina Ołowska, “Slavic Goddesses and the Ushers”, at Teatro Pilat, Ortisei. Opening Biennale Gherdëina 7, 2020

Photo T. Sorvillo

Paulina Ołowska, “Slavic Goddesses and the Ushers”, at Teatro Pilat, Ortisei. Opening Biennale Gherdëina 7, 2020

Photo T. Sorvillo

Paulina Ołowska, “Slavic Goddesses and the Ushers”, at Teatro Pilat, Ortisei. Opening Biennale Gherdëina 7, 2020

Photo T. Sorvillo

Paulina Ołowska, “Slavic Goddesses and the Ushers”, at Teatro Pilat, Ortisei. Opening Biennale Gherdëina 7, 2020

Photo T. Sorvillo

Paulina Ołowska, “Slavic Goddesses and the Ushers”, at Teatro Pilat, Ortisei. Opening Biennale Gherdëina 7, 2020

Photo T. Sorvillo

Paulina Ołowska, “Slavic Goddesses and the Ushers”, at Teatro Pilat, Ortisei. Opening Biennale Gherdëina 7, 2020

Photo T. Sorvillo

Paulina Ołowska, “Slavic Goddesses and the Ushers”, at Teatro Pilat, Ortisei. Opening Biennale Gherdëina 7, 2020

Photo T. Sorvillo

Pavel Büchler, Dialogo, 2013. Sound sculpture

Courtesy of the artist. Photo T. Sorvillo, L. Guadagnini

Pavel Büchler, OPEN, 2020. Light installation

Courtesy of the artist. Photo T. Sorvillo, L. Guadagnini

Pavel Büchler, OPEN, 2020. Light installation

Courtesy of the artist. Photo T. Sorvillo, L. Guadagnini

Petrit Halilaj & Alvaro Urbano, Alvaro At Night 3, Petrit At Night 2, 2020

Courtesy of the artists, Kamel Mennour, Paris and Travesia Quatro, Ciudad de Mexico. Photo T. Sorvillo, L. Guadagnini

Sculpture Forest Sanctuary, Project by Antje Majewski and others. Exhibition view at Hotel Ladinia, Biennale Gherdëina 7

Courtesy of the artists. Photo T. Sorvillo

Sculpture Forest Sanctuary, Project by Antje Majewski and others. Exhibition view at Hotel Ladinia, Biennale Gherdëina 7

Courtesy of the artists. Photo T. Sorvillo

The previously featured thematic fields relate to the significance of the cultural legacy, the research of historical strategic positioning, the praise of the communal, the omnipresence of the nature and its “industry” - will receive a social and political framing with no ignorance to the poetic, the spiritual and the existential, thus further unfolding the complexity of the vernacular language with an attention paid to the continuity and perseverance of tradition, its necessary rewriting and undoing as well as its transformative potential.

Three chapters on sociology of an encounter and the politics of the plural will constitute the core of „the ways of worldmaking“: ecology of others - on reinvigorating the relationality (following Philippe Descola’s reflection upon the nature-culture binary), in praise of hands - on the craft of touch (enhanced by Henri Focillon’s dream of art’s autonomy within the domains of materials, techniques and signs) and the cloud of possible - on dissemination of enthusiasm and the power of differentiation (referring to Maurizio Lazzarato’s shift from capital-labour to capital-life).

Jiri Prihoda, Diogenes’ Barrel (Poetry Pavilion), 2014-18, from Biennale Gherdëina VI. Wood, plywood, Corralit, concrete foundation. 732 x 495 x 650 cm. Courtesy of the artist

The notions of responsibility and humility connect all three chapters in an attempt to define the agencies of responsiveness and care, the main challenges in the active process of worldmaking. From Agnieszka Brzeżanska (POL), to Pavel Büchler (CZE/UK), to Habima Fuchs (CZE), Petrit Halilaj e Alvaro Urbano (RKS - ES), including Paolo Icaro (ITA), Kris Lemsalu (EST), Sharon Lockhart (USA), Paulina Ołowska (POL), Pakui Hardware (LIT), Maria Papadimitriou (GR), Marinella Senatore (ITA) and Paloma Varga Weisz (GER), 34 different artists are going topay a perfect homage to unfold the complexity of the vernacular language with an attention paid to the continuity and perseverance of tradition, its necessary rewrit-ing and undoing as well as its transformative potential.

Alicja Kwade, Absorption (Dolomite), 2018. Dolomite stone, aluminium, bronze patinated, powder coated steel. 250 x 290 cm. Courtesy of the artist and König Galerie, Berlin/London. Ph. Simon Perathoner.

In this period of uncertainty, expectation and change, this landscape Biennale could offer an important social contribution. By organising the seventh edition of the Biennale Gherdëina, sending a positive signal of hope. Contemporary art is a key element in a constantly evolving culture in relationship with environmental variables and factors.

  • Biennale Gherdëina 2020
  • From August 8 to October 20, 2020
  • Adam Budak
  • Zënza Sëida VFG
  • Pontives 8, IT-39046 Ortisei, BZ