"The arts are not merely a mode of reflection; they are the basis of our shared future,” STIR Founder and Editor-in-Chief Amit Gupta said during his keynote speech at the opening of Personal Structures: Beyond Boundaries, an exhibition organised by the European Cultural Centre (ECC) at the Giardini della Marinaressa in Venice. One of the three main venues of the ECC’s biennial exhibition, Giardini della Marinaressa together with Palazzo Mora and Palazzo Bembo are currently welcoming more than 200 projects from 51 countries for the seventh edition of Personal Structures, which investigates the concepts of time, space and existence in contemporary art.

Starting with an emblematic quote by Chinese artist Ai Weiwei, “Everything is art. Everything is politics,” Gupta offered several topical insights, reminding us how we are living in “a time of dissolving boundaries,” both from a geographical and disciplinary point of view. In this era of tumult and profound change, the Global South plays a crucial role, thanks to the multitude of alternative narratives it represents: for this reason, it is now more evident than ever that this vast geographical area is “not just a blip on the world map,” the STIR Founder stated. Taking inspiration from the title chosen by curator Adriano Pedrosa for this year’s Venice Biennale, Stranieri Ovunque – Foreigners Everywhere, Gupta also mentioned the parallel Urdu word ajnabee, or ‘stranger’. In fact, ajnabee significantly exemplifies the complexity of being a foreigner by simultaneously indicating a person who is unknown and a person you want to grow to know. This fluctuating meaning is embodied by many of the works exhibited in Personal Structures: Beyond Boundaries. Among the sculptures, Invisible Flags by Yoko Ono is a masterful example, consisting of a series of empty flag poles that suggest inaudible and unseen banners fading away in the breeze, while wars and other political tensions shake the world.

The arts are not merely a mode of reflection; they are the basis of our shared future. – Amit Gupta, Founder and Editor-in-Chief, STIR

Walking through the wide and almost labyrinthine interiors of Palazzo Bembo and Palazzo Mora, we perceive some of the challenges the contemporary art field is facing. According to Sara Danieli, Head of Art at ECC Italy, a consideration of “global migration and national identities" is particularly relevant for current times. At Beyond Boundaries, Foreigners in their Own Land is one such exhibition, curated by Faisal Saleh of the Palestine Museum US. Involving 26 Palestinian artists, the show at Palazzo Mora reflects on the consequences of the occupation of the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip. Among them is the 87-year-old Palestinian-American visual artist Samia Halaby, who is simultaneously participating in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale 2024 for the very first time, showing her 1969 painting Black is Beautiful.

Identity is an essential topic for the multidisciplinary artist Orry Shenjobi: she presents a tribute to the traditional Nigerian parties known as Owambe in Yoruba, showing a series of works where oil paint, fabrics and other media are layered over photographs taken during these moments of celebration. The stratification goes far beyond the surface of the image, revealing the existential value of these cultural phenomena in the context of the African diaspora. A relentless research practice around diverse materials and their infinite potential is evident in the work of artist Areez Katki, who combines references to India and the Māori culture of Aotearoa/ New Zealand, and the free-carved sculptures of British artist Emily Young, who collects original stones from abandoned quarries.

Behind the façade of Palazzo Bembo, which overlooks the Canal Grande in its exquisitely Gothic-Byzantine style, the exhibition Ten Years by Brazilian artist Sandra Cattaneo Adorno is an immersion in geographically distant and yet familiar atmospheres. Curated by Andrea Verganti, through photography and a six-minute video installation, Ten Years explores the shores of 10 different countries, transforming them into glimmering visuals which are local and global at the same time. Another photographer worth mentioning is the American Elizabeth Heyert and her series The Travelers (2003-2004), where she photographs over 30 bodies in a Harlem funeral parlour with remarkable sensitivity. Cultural minorities, who have become increasingly visible during the last few editions of the Venice Biennale, are well-represented by the site specific installation R’roma Lepanto, which is dedicated to the role of Roma people in Venetian and European history.

It might be argued that plurality emerges as a core value from Personal Structures: Beyond Boundaries, inviting us to open ourselves to a rich variety of visions and experiences, and offering us the chance to rediscover the very concept of empathy. This was reflected in Gupta’s speech, “We’re always listening because we want to keep learning. And there’s also a vulnerability to this listening that allows us to grow, to keep our hearts and minds open to everything around us.”

The mandate of the 60th Venice Biennale, which aims to highlight under-represented artists and art histories, aligns with the STIR philosophy of challenging the status quo and presenting powerful perspectives. Explore our series on the Biennale, STIRring 'Everywhere' in Venice, which brings you a curated selection of the burgeoning creative activity in the historic city of Venice, in a range of textual and audiovisual formats.