The Venice Biennale - Pavilion of Poland

The Pavilion of Poland at the Venice Biennale is an exhibition space of great historical and cultural importance, located in the Biennale Gardens. Its inauguration dates back to 1932, thanks to funding from the Polish government. Since then, the pavilion has hosted numerous exhibitions that have explored various themes, from national history and identity to contemporary social and political issues. The design of the pavilion is an example of modernist architecture, characterized by clean lines and geometric shapes, which are well suited to the exhibition needs of contemporary artists. The management of the exhibitions is entrusted to the Zachęta – National Gallery of Art, which curates and organizes exhibitions for both the Art Biennale and the Architecture Biennale. This ongoing commitment has led the pavilion to be recognized multiple times by the international jury for the excellence of its presentations. One of the most recent and significant exhibitions was in 2022, titled “Re-enchanting the World” by Małgorzata Mirga-Tas. The installation drew inspiration from the Palazzo Schifanoia in Ferrara and integrated representations of Romani culture, often overlooked in European art history. Mirga-Tas used mixed techniques, including fabrics, painting, and collage, to create a visual narrative that expands the horizons of traditional iconography and challenges conventional perceptions of art history. Another notable example is the 2019 exhibition titled “Flight”, curated by Łukasz Ronduda and presented by artist Roman Stańczak. Stańczak’s main work, “Flight”, was a monumental sculpture representing a completely disassembled and reassembled private jet in reverse. This installation explored the themes of transformation and creative destruction, reflecting on power dynamics and social inequality. Over the years, the Pavilion of Poland has also hosted numerous exhibitions reflecting the country’s complex historical events. During the communist period, the exhibited works often reflected the ideology of the regime, while with the fall of communism and the transition to democracy, artists began to explore themes of freedom, identity, and historical memory in a more critical and open way. At the 2016 Architecture Biennale, the pavilion presented an exhibition titled “Fair Building”, curated by Dominika Janicka and Martyna Sobczyk. This exhibition explored the concept of fairness in the context of the construction industry, highlighting the working conditions of workers and the ethical issues related to building construction. The installation combined visual and documentary elements to create a narrative that invited visitors to reflect on the value of human labor and the social implications of architecture.