XV Biennale di Architettura di Venezia

RB//IC Egyptian pavilion

STATEMENT

IN A WORLD WHERE NEWS COVERAGE IS SKEWED, DOZENS OF CONFLICTS AND STRUGGLES GO UNNOTICED. BEYOND THE SENSATIONAL FOCUS ON CERTAIN LARGER EVENTS, DAILY CONFLICTS OF A SMALLER SCALE, BUT NO LESS IMPORTANT, PERSIST.  AT THE HEART OF ALL THESE BATTLES, WHETHER LARGE OR SMALL, IS A TENSION BETWEEN AMBITIOUS, UNREALIZED EXPECTATIONS AND UNFULFILLING RESULTS.

TENACITY, ENDURANCE AND CREATIVE RESILIENCE, HOWEVER, HAVE COME TO EMBODY THE SPIRIT OF THESE FIGHTS FOR CHANGE.

REFRAMING BACK// IMPERATIVE CONFRONTATIONS IS NOT ONLY A SPACE TO BRING THESE EFFORTS TO THE FORE, IT IS A MOMENT TO CELEBRATE THEM TOGETHER, HOPEFULLY INJECTING THEM WITH THE OPTIMISM AND ENERGY NECESSARY TO CONTINUE THEIR FIGHT.

THIS PAVILION IS IN NO WAY A COMPREHENSIVE SURVEY OF ALL INITIATIVES AND WORKS THAT HAVE BEEN PRODUCED DURING THE LAST PERIOD IN EGYPT. IT IS, HOWEVER, AN ATTEMPT TO INTRODUCE TO A LARGE AUDIENCE THE WORK OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS AND COLLECTIVES, STUDENTS AND PROFESSIONALS, WHO OVER THE COURSE OF THE PAST DECADE, HAVE BEEN SEARCHING FOR NEW OPERATING MODELS IN EGYPT AND ENGAGING IN ARCHITECTURE AS A FIELD OF CRITICAL INTELLECTUAL INQUIRY. THE WORK PRESENTED HERE DEMONSTRATES THE INTEREST OF A WIDE RANGE OF ACTORS - GOVERNMENT, UNIVERSITIES, RESEARCH CENTERS, INDEPENDENT PRACTITIONERS - IN THE EGYPTIAN URBAN CONDITION.

THE PAVILION AT THIS YEAR’S VENICE BIENNALE, MARKS THE OCCASION TO BRING FORTH ALL THESE PERSPECTIVES AND APPROACHES IN ONE SPACE AND TO REFLECT ON THE NATURE OF THE KNOWLEDGE PRODUCED IN THE PAST DECADE. IT IS AT THE SAME TIME AN OPPORTUNITY TO EVALUATE ITS POTENTIAL FOR ACTION AND TRANSFORMATION.