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For further information regarding accreditation, please contact the Media Office.

Official inauguration of the XV edition of the Florence Biennale. This reserved-access event will host institutional representatives, guest speakers, participating artists, and international partners.

Official public opening of the XV Florence Biennale. Visitors are welcome to access the exhibition spaces and begin their journey through contemporary art and international design.

Tickets can be purchased online at this link.

The (a)Mend - La (r)Ammenda is a performance that explores the theme of the XV Florence Biennale. Light has always been a metaphor for the divine, goodness, and life. It is often contrasted with darkness, which has been perceived as a symbol of evil, the unknown, and death. However, as we know, light cannot be perceived without darkness itself, forming an archetypal dualism. This performance therefore seeks to highlight the necessity of embracing all aspects of the human conditions through the representation of the Fallen Angel. It can thus be seen as an act of acceptance and a process of healing from the past, the trauma and the pain, in a difficult and long journey but filled with love, vulnerability and gentleness towards ourselves and the hidden aspects of our being that we often struggle to fully accept.

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Strange Place is a contemporary experimental performance that invites viewers to see reality from a new perspective—one shaped by an unfamiliar space where the reality and fiction intersect. Drawing inspiration from everyday life, as well as from theatrical and imaginative elements, the performance seeks to spark new experiences and reflections. By blending physical movement with installation art, it creates a dialogue between the tangible world and the audience's inner imagination. Through this immersive experience, viewers are encouraged to question and rediscover their own identities and values.

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This educational workshop is built on an immersive and interactive methodology, where children take an active role in their own learning process. Through the fusion of art and play, they are encouraged to express emotions and thoughts in a spontaneous and creative way.  Contemporary art—with its diverse languages and expressive tools—offers a rich ground for exploring self-expression and the relationship between the individual and their environment. At the heart of the workshop is the use of artificial light as a means to define space and create imagined scenarios. Within this context, children become “explorers of the imagination,” transforming their surroundings through light and materials, while building confidence in themselves and their creative abilities. 

TALK invites audiences into an evocative narrative where dance and artificial intelligence merge seamlessly, weaving a compelling tale of interaction and exploration. Set within a fluid, ever-changing sonic environment, the performance unfolds as a dialogue between human dancers and an AI-driven soundscape.

Each movement the dancers perform becomes both response and provocation, engaging intimately with the unpredictable rhythms and textures generated in real-time by advanced technology. As bodies and algorithms converse, a poetic story emerges about the negotiation of control, spontaneity, and the delicate balance between human intuition and technological creativity. TALK not only redefines the boundaries of traditional choreography but also offers a profound meditation on our contemporary relationship with technology—highlighting the beauty, tension, and unexpected harmony that arise from human-AI collaboration.

National premiere screening of the short film.

HOME, the entwined vision and collaboration of Adam Larsen (filmmaker) and Sue Schroeder (dancemaker), exists within a metaphorical context, connecting the foundations of human existence—home, the body and nature—as inextricably linked, and acts as a record of a search for truth and the native beauty of reality. Using the architectural constructs of a home to inspire and awaken context, our relationship to the earth and one another are experienced viscerally through the integration of film, architecture and the moving body. Illustrated as a large arc, our story stretches between finding and losing oneself, reflections on the places we call "home," with an emphasis on nature in human nature.

Following the premiere screening of HOME, a live performance will be presented adjacent to the screening. A series of performance vignettes nestled within the Sala delle Grotte at Fortezza da Basso, the performance brings the experience of nature inside, magnifying moments experienced in brief within the film itself. Each vignette exists as a living installation—bringing to life the essence, images, objects and human beings within the film, HOME.

The exhibition will be closed to the public for the entire day on Monday, October 20.

This educational workshop is built on an immersive and interactive methodology, where children take an active role in their own learning process. Through the fusion of art and play, they are encouraged to express emotions and thoughts in a spontaneous and creative way.  Contemporary art—with its diverse languages and expressive tools—offers a rich ground for exploring self-expression and the relationship between the individual and their environment. At the heart of the workshop is the use of artificial light as a means to define space and create imagined scenarios. Within this context, children become “explorers of the imagination,” transforming their surroundings through light and materials, while building confidence in themselves and their creative abilities.

Being updated

On the occasion of the XV Florence Biennale, internationally renowned artist and filmmaker Tim Burton  will be awarded the "Lorenzo il Magnifico" Lifetime Achievement Award for his outstanding contribution to visual art.

The award ceremony will take place in the presence of the artist, as part of a special event.

Discussion with participating artists and designers on the exhibition theme "The Sublime Essence of Light and Darkness. Concepts of Dualism and Unity in Contemporary Art and Design."

Presentation of the Exhibition Catalogue (Editoriale Giorgio Mondadori), edited by Giovanni Cordoni and Jacopo Celona, together with Carlo Motta, Head of Books at Editoriale Giorgio Mondadori.

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This educational workshop is built on an immersive and interactive methodology, where children take an active role in their own learning process. Through the fusion of art and play, they are encouraged to express emotions and thoughts in a spontaneous and creative way.  Contemporary art—with its diverse languages and expressive tools—offers a rich ground for exploring self-expression and the relationship between the individual and their environment. At the heart of the workshop is the use of artificial light as a means to define space and create imagined scenarios. Within this context, children become “explorers of the imagination,” transforming their surroundings through light and materials, while building confidence in themselves and their creative abilities.

On the occasion of the XV Florence Biennale, internationally acclaimed designer and architect Patricia Urquiola will be awarded the International "Leonardo da Vinci" Lifetime Achievement Award for Design, in recognition of her outstanding contribution to contemporary design.

The award ceremony will take place in the presence of the designer, as part of a special event.

In aggiornamento

The documentary Near Light by Niccolò Salvato (UK, 2023) will be screened for the first time in Florence on the occasion of the XV Florence Biennale.

The documentary focuses on Mattia, a young man convicted murderer who, after spendinging seven and a half years in one of Europe's maximum security prisons, is given a chance of redemption when he is allowed to attend in-person classes for a Master's degree course in Marketing at Bocconi University, the best Italian Business School.

Selected by the Florence Biennale's Curatorial Board for its ability to make us reflect on very sensitive issues, such as the re-education of prisoners and their reintegration into society, and for its adherence to the theme of the XV edition, which is dealing with dualisms (such as good and evil) emphasises the need for an overall vision and to rise towards the highest ideals, Near Light shows a path that sees evil turn into good and despair into hope.

The film Tango en Penumbras (Tango in Twilight) by Doctor Teresa Mular (Argentina, 2024) will be screened as a national première during the XV Florence Biennale.

In this film, Teresa takes us on a journey into the life of a 74-year-old chemist who, at the age of 28, tragically lost his sight—presumably due to a prank that has gone awry at a postgraduate party. After decades of living in darkness, a serendipitous attempt at tango becomes a beam of light, illuminating his world in ways he never imagined. His fascination with tango's movements and music is both passionate and hauntingly captivating. Each steps brings him joy and hope, filling him with newfound self-confidence, self-respect, and a sense of self-worth.

Reflecting on the theme of the XV edition, Teresa employs her distinctive storytelling approach to explore the dichotomy between light and darkness, followed by the duality of the visible and the invisible. Through this, she challenges the notion that sight is the only path to experiencing beauty or attaining physical and spiritual fulfilment.

The film Die Höhenluft - für Alle und Keinen (Pure Air of the Mountain—For All and No One) by Mika'Ela Fisher (Germany, 2023) will be screened as a national première at the XV Florence Biennale.

With extensive references to Nietzsche's Thus Spoke Zarathustra, the film focuses on two opposing characters (their names, Angra and Spenta, come from Zoroastrian theology and characterise cosmogonic dualism) who represent two sides of the same coin. From the top of a mountain, Angra and Spenta observe the humans below, unwitting targets of their sick game, and pull the strings of these poor puppets, torn between good and evil. Die Höhenluft - für Alle und Keinen is a curious film, characterised by a certain cynical humour, which questions our free will and which also represents a reflection "on the human being; which I see as torn, manipulable, but still responsible for his actions and decisions," as the director stated.

This educational workshop is built on an immersive and interactive methodology, where children take an active role in their own learning process. Through the fusion of art and play, they are encouraged to express emotions and thoughts in a spontaneous and creative way.  Contemporary art—with its diverse languages and expressive tools—offers a rich ground for exploring self-expression and the relationship between the individual and their environment. At the heart of the workshop is the use of artificial light as a means to define space and create imagined scenarios. Within this context, children become “explorers of the imagination,” transforming their surroundings through light and materials, while building confidence in themselves and their creative abilities. 

A session dedicated to exploring strategies and tools and for fundraising in the art world and its market, with a particular focus on the opportunities available to artists and professionals in the global context.

Dr. Irene Sanesi will guide participants through an overview of the most widespread and innovative practices, offering concrete tools for developing effective fundraising strategies. The talk will also cover an analysis of the main fundraising sources available, along with best practices for buidling a long-term relationship with patrons, institutions, and collectors within the contemporary art system.

- Introduction to Fundraising

- The Different Fundraising Sources: the fundraising markets

- The Strategic Fundraising Plan

- Building Long-Term Relationships with Patrons

This educational workshop is built on an immersive and interactive methodology, where children take an active role in their own learning process. Through the fusion of art and play, they are encouraged to express emotions and thoughts in a spontaneous and creative way.  Contemporary art—with its diverse languages and expressive tools—offers a rich ground for exploring self-expression and the relationship between the individual and their environment. At the heart of the workshop is the use of artificial light as a means to define space and create imagined scenarios. Within this context, children become “explorers of the imagination,” transforming their surroundings through light and materials, while building confidence in themselves and their creative abilities. 

In aggiornamento

During each edition of the Florence Biennale, the exhibiting artists and designers who stand out for their works in the competition in the relevant categories receive the "Lorenzo il Magnifico" (for Art) and "Leonardo da Vinci" (for Design) awards assigned by the International Jury made up of distinguished personalities from the world of art and culture. This solemn event celebrates excellence, creativity, and contemporary culture, in the presence of officials, the International Jury, and invited guests.

The XV Florence Biennale will conclude with the official closing ceremony.