Pavilion of Serbia

Pavilion of Serbia
60th International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia

Exposition Coloniale
by Aleksandar Denić
Curated by Ksenija Samardžija

“Exposition Coloniale” in its visual abundance, deals with places which become social memorabilia, or the anxiety left by a society. Capturing the moment where history becomes a biography, Denić uses experience related to Heiner Müller’s theory about the constant need to question the system of thought and values through art’s capacity to make reality impossible.

The exhibition is conceived as a heterotopia, a concept expounded by Foucault through the interplay of space with accumulated evocative elements. Denić is a master of manipulating spatial elements to create a distinct dialectic, resulting in an architectural situation that is both visually striking and conceptually provoking.

Through the transformation of spatial elements, he creates a tension that is not solely derived from the physical work itself, but rather from the interaction between the viewer and the multi-layered narrative. The inclusion of music and sounds, lights, heating systems, and other sensory elements adds to the complexity and further blurs and disturbs the boundaries between the physical and emotional realms. The result is a dynamic and engaging spatial experience, that relies on realistic components that are completely reinterpreted and originally built.