The Austrian Pavilion at the Biennale brings performances and installations around the Venice Lagoon

Austrian artist and choreographer Florentina Holzinger (Vienna, 1986) will represent Austria at the 61st International Art Exhibition of the Venice Biennale with a project titled "SeaWorld Venice." Curated by Nora-Swantje Almes, the interdisciplinary initiative combines a permanent installation at the Austrian Pavilion with a series of site-specific performances and actions spread across Venice and its lagoon. The project explores the body, water, and the tensions between nature and technology, drawing on mythological and classical imagery populated by aquatic creatures. It includes "Études," performative formats developed by Holzinger since 2020, which activate urban spaces through participatory and immersive experiences, engaging both spectators and citizens.

This matters because Holzinger's work pushes the boundaries of what a national pavilion can be, transforming it into a mobile, participatory device that engages the entire city rather than remaining confined to the Giardini. By centering water as both a physical element and a political symbol, the project addresses urgent cultural and ecological issues, particularly in Venice, a city defined by its fragile relationship with water. Holzinger's uncompromising use of the body as a medium for negotiating social and political conditions offers a radical vision that expands the possibilities of contemporary art and performance within the context of one of the world's most prestigious art exhibitions.