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Why “eARTh – Creativity & Sustainability”?

chosen to have an ad hoc theme that would distinguish the edition itself, but at the same time ignite a debate on the chosen topic.

For the 2013 edition, the theme chosen was Ethics: DNA of Art. The intention was to provoke a critique of the relationship between art, ethics and aesthetics and the role of the arts in the new millennium. With this in mind, new approaches were explored to re-establish the central role of artistic culture in contemporary global realities.

In 2015 it was the turn of Arte & Polis: the myth of the ideal city, a legacy of classical culture, was recreated within the walls of the Fortezza da Basso, which became the ideal ‘city of artists’ for 10 days. A polis understood not only as an environment, but as a microcosm of balance between ‘man and nature’.

Now in its 20th anniversary year, this year's Florence Biennale sees the focus on a topic that is more topical than ever and in the spotlight in the most diverse fields of interest, that of all-round sustainability.

With the theme ‘eARTh - Creativity and Sustainability’, the 11th edition of the Florence Biennale of Contemporary Art aims to explore the many and varied opportunities for a sustainable future, inspired by the principle of creative innovation as a driving force for the creation of an art and culture ‘ecosystem’ where respect for nature and all forms of life on Earth prevails.

In this perspective, cultural differences and biodiversity are not understood as separate and parallel realms, but are part of a kindred evolutionary process to be preserved and nurtured.

This reflection stems from testimonies of concrete experiences that demonstrate how the work of an artist can undoubtedly be positively intertwined with business activity in a number of sectors, from the production of ecological materials to environmental recycling and reclamation projects, from sustainable and organic cultivation to fair trade, from manufacturing processes that respect human rights to much more.

A synergy of this kind means integrating social, environmental and economic needs with a creative existence: art and culture can become, and in many cases already are, resources for possible innovative and creative approaches aimed at achieving sustainable development goals in harmony with nature.

In keeping with the theme, works of digital art, video art, photography, performance and installation art will be on display, as well as painting, drawing and calligraphy, mixed media, sculpture, ceramic art, textile art and art jewellery.

But that's not all: the extensive calendar of meetings and conferences will also contribute to ignite the debate on the subject through six round tables that will explore and interpret the theme of the event in its various fields of interest. The complete programme of meetings within the 11th Florence Biennale will be presented during the press conference on Wednesday 6 September.

Veronica Iodice