Kurdish artist Ahmet Güneştekin has opened a new foundation in Venice at Palazzo Gradenigo, a 16th-century building in the Castello district. The foundation's inaugural exhibition, titled "Sessizlik/Silenzio/Silence," will open on May 6 during the Venice Biennale. The show features 11 new bronze sculptures and 11 oil paintings. The palace, closed to the public for 17 years, was purchased by the artist and is undergoing a conservative restoration led by architects Alberto Torsello and Elisa Santoro, set to complete by late 2026. The foundation, entirely self-funded through sales of Güneştekin's works and royalties, aims to provide exhibition and training opportunities for young artists, especially from Turkey, in an international context.
This development matters because it establishes a new, independent cultural institution in Venice, one of the world's foremost art capitals, during the prestigious Venice Biennale. Güneştekin's foundation—with existing locations in Istanbul and a forthcoming one in Urla—represents a significant expansion of a Kurdish artist's vision into Europe, emphasizing silent, contemplative responses to historical trauma. The project also revitalizes a historic palazzo that had been closed for nearly two decades, creating a new platform for emerging artists and reinforcing Venice's role as a hub for international contemporary art.