Pavilion of Chile

Pavilion of Chile
61st International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia

“Inter-Reality”
Commissioner: Florencia Loewenthal
Curators: Marisa Caichiolo, Dermis León
Exhibitor: Norton Maza
General Coordinator: Claudia Pertuzé Concha
Technical Producer: Matías Ulibarry, Magdalena Lizarraga

Organisation: A joint initiative of the Ministry of Culture, Arts and Heritage and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Government of Chile.

Venue: Arsenale, Venice
May 9 – November 22, 2026
Preview days: 6, 7, 8 May
Opening Ceremony: May 6, 4:45pm

“The more globalized we are, the higher the walls grow, and to cross them one must become objects, disguise oneself as electrodomestics to reach the destination; it’s as if one renounces the condition of being alive in order to have value. That is the Inter-Reality of today.”

Norton Maza

“Inter-Reality”, a new immersive and multisensory installation by Chilean artist Norton Maza, curated by Dermis León (PhD candidate) and Marisa Caichiolo (PhD), has been selected to represent Chile at the 61st International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia.

The installation consists of a large architectural structure set upon a rock, penetrated by an electrical pole with gold-covered generators and crowned by a Harris’ hawk (peuco in Chile). The interior—accessible through four small peepholes—reveals animated dioramas of classical landscapes accompanied by movement and sound. Surrounding elements, including a human figure, a boarding ladder, and a pilot’s helmet, guide the viewer toward alternative viewpoints of the central structure. Together, these components act as symbolic thresholds that prompt reflection on memory, civic responsibility, and the interrelation between power, truth, and freedom.

Conceived as a shared spatial environment rather than a single sculptural object, “Inter-Reality” proposes a slower rhythm of perception and an expanded sense of time, moving beyond binary oppositions and enabling a layered, immersive experience. Through a large-scale architectural framework and a constellation of visual and auditory elements, the artwork invites visitors to navigate shifting viewpoints. 

Chile’s participation in the 61st International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia is the result of the inter-institutional collaboration between the Ministry of Cultures, Arts and Heritage, through its Executive Secretariat for Visual Arts, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, via the Division of Cultures, Arts, Heritage and Public Diplomacy (DIRAC), together with the Embassy of Chile in Italy.