The Embassy of Italy in Mogadishu organized and hosted an event to present Somalia’s first historic participation in the 61st International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia.
At a complex moment at the international level, Somalia, through its presence at the Biennale, conveys to the world a powerful and meaningful message of its determined and proud ambition to move beyond decades of instability. This effort integrates ongoing initiatives to promote development in the security, economic and social spheres with the valuable contribution of art and culture. This dimension aims to rebuild Somalia’s cultural memory, foster dialogue among generations that have been shaped by conflict and division in the recent past, and present a renewed image of Somalia within the prestigious context of an international exhibition that has, since its inception, been defined by free exchange and dialogue among nations and cultures.
In the presence of senior representatives of Somali institutions (including the Deputy Minister of Information), Heads of Diplomatic Missions and representatives of the various international organizations operating in the country—as well as members of the business community, the cultural sector and Somali civil society (many of them Italian-speaking)—the project was presented. It is conceived around the principle of Saddexley, the triadic structure at the core of Somali poetics, where rhythm, meaning and sound coexist in harmonious tension. This tripartite structure forms the very matrix of the spaces of the Somali Pavilion: the three floors of Palazzo Caboto will host three distinct yet complementary perspectives, represented through the works of three women artists—Warsan Shire, Asmaa Jama and Ayan Farah—under the curatorship of Mohamed Mire and Fabio Scrivanti.
Through poetry, audiovisual installations and material abstraction, the Somali Pavilion aims to explore artistic creation as a key to interpreting oral transmission.
Following its participation in Venice, the Pavilion will “return” to Somalia, at the National Museum of Mogadishu, where it will be transformed into a pedagogical structure dedicated to the preservation, dissemination and sharing of oral traditions, craftsmanship and intergenerational learning.
The Embassy of Italy in Mogadishu supports this project and intends to continue offering, with optimism, its close support to Somalia on its path towards a future of peace and development.
