Historic Serra dei Giardini Greenhouse Loses 56th Venice Biennale Exhibitor and Faces Closure

The historic Serra dei Giardini greenhouse.
Photo: courtesy Paolo Rosso

The greenhouse of the Biennale gardens, Serra dei Giardini, is urgently looking for new partners for this year’s 56th Venice Biennale, due to open in May. 

The greenhouse, which hosted the collateral event “The Museum of Everything” at the 55th Venice Biennale in 2013, has lost its exhibitor for this year’s edition at extremely short notice. With only two months to go before the opening, the historic venue could be facing closure.

The greenhouse was slated to host the Mongolian National Pavilion this year, but the project was suddenly discontinued due to “internal conflicts,” Paolo Rosso, the artisitic director of the Serra dei Giardini, told artnet News.

The greenhouse is now urgently seeking a last-minute project to host, and is calling for submissions.

The greenhouse focuses on research between art, nature and public space. In previous years it collaborated with high-profile organizations such as The Museum of Everything, and Botkyrka Kunsthall, among others.

Artists that participated in events at the greenhouse include Vito Acconci, Maria Thereza Alves, Desire machine collective, Superflex, Richard Nonas, Peter Fischli, Thomas Houseago, Cesare Pietroiusti, René Gabri, and Ayreen Anastas.

Update: An earlier version of this story suggested that the Mongolian Pavilion is not taking place due to lack of funding. The MCASA team for Mongolia Pavilion succeeded in securing funds and a location for the presentation. The Mongolia Pavilion is planned to show two Mongolian artists, Unen Enkh and T.Enkhbold, at the European Cultural Center at Palazzo Mora. It is also backed up by former Whitney Museum director David A. Ross and artist and musician Yoko Ono.


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