Shifting Homes
The Australian exhibition for the 17th Venice Biennale of Architecture is being exhibited locally for the first time since Australia opened its pavilion in Venice in 1988. Navigating the limitations of current border restrictions, Inbetween is reimagined as an immersive, large-scale video piece bringing together 20 projects from across Australia, Micronesia, Melanesia and Polynesia. Inbetween is a collection of architectural projects and processes that have been informed by Indigenous and First Nations peoples and cultures, highlighting the value of Indigenous knowledge for improving the built environment. The presentation includes a Virtual Reality (VR) work titled Shifting Homes, a collaboration between Daniel Stricker of DP IMMERSIVE and Vincent Heimann, who worked together with the village of Poutasi, Sāmoa to create an emotive work that highlights the imminent threat of climate change for the low-lying South Pacific country, which is particularly vulnerable to rising sea levels. Shifting Homes is an NFT artwork launched concurrently with the Biennale, and sale proceeds are being donated to the village of Poutasi and future DP IMMERSIVE social impact projects. Overarchingly, Inbetween offers parallels between the cultural context of Australia and its neighbours, demonstrating the important role architecture can play in retaining and rediscovering lost cultural knowledge. Inbetween will be made available for exhibition throughout Australia, across the Pacific region and beyond.
NOTE: The dates provided are current and speculative. Many Australian and international arts organisations remain closed in accordance with COVID-19 restrictions. Please refer to institutional websites for further details.
