Commissioned by the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (İKSV), the Türkiye Pavilion has announced the project to be exhibited at the 19th International Architecture Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia in 2025, set to take place from 10 May to 23 November. Titled "Grounded," the exhibition will be curated by Ceren Erdem and Bilge Kalfa. The project was selected following a two-stage competition.
"Grounded", the proposed project, understands soils as a carrier of ecological and cultural memory, analyzing it as a receptacle of natural intelligence, a living archive, and a supportive ecological model. Based on research, the project aims to uncover new possibilities that integrate diverse artistic and interdisciplinary perspectives.
The exhibition will be designed to highlight the soil's role as a source of life, memory, and knowledge. By incorporating sensory experiences, scientific documentation, architecture, and artworks, Grounded hopes to highlight this often-overlooked entity that holds crucial insights into both past civilizations and current ecological systems. Ultimately, the project will present visions for the future that prioritize life above and below the soil, combining new research with vernacular construction methods rooted in the earth.
"Grounded" is a project led by curators Ceren Erdem and Bilge Kalfa, commissioned by the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (İKSV) with the support of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and co-sponsored by Schüco Türkiye and VitrA.
Ceren Erdem, an Istanbul-based curator, has contributed to the international art scene through numerous exhibitions and publications. Her projects include "Tack, Limb, Ilizarov" at Depo, Istanbul (2023), "All Else Is Far" and "Ad Infinitum" at Dirimart, Istanbul, and "Inverse Grayscale" at Pasinger Fabrik, Munich (2016). With a solid academic background, including her MA from Columbia University, Erdem has held full-time roles at Dirimart and the Istanbul Biennial. Simultaneously, Bilge Kalfa, a Berlin-based architect and adjunct professor, runs Bilge Kalfa Architecture. Known for conscientious architectural projects and furniture design, Kalfa co-owns The Keep and has received acclaim for projects like Moda Sahnesi and Theater Hall at Boğaziçi University.
The Türkiye Pavilion has taken part in the International Architecture Exhibition since 2014. At the previous edition of the Venice Biennale, the Türkiye Pavilion was centered around the concept of the 'Carrier Bag Theory of Architecture', aiming to draw attention to the state of unused buildings and their future potential. The 2025 edition of the Biennale is set to happen under the curatorial direction of Carlo Ratti, who proposed the theme "Intelligens. Natural. Artificial. Collective" as the guiding direction for all national participations.
We invite you to check out ArchDaily's comprehensive coverage of the 2025 Venice Biennale.
