Uzbekistan Announces Curators and Theme for 2025 Venice Biennale PavilionSave this picture!View towards the heliostatic field, 1986. Image Courtesy of Private archive of Azimov familyUzbekistan has officially announced that architecture studio GRACE, led by curators Ekaterina Golovatyuk and Giacomo Cantoni, will oversee the country's National Pavilion at the 19th International Architecture Exhibition- La Biennale di Venezia in 2025. The exhibition, titled A Matter of Radiance, will explore Uzbekistan's modernist architectural legacy in response to the Biennale's overarching theme, "Intelligens. Natural. Artificial. Collective."At the center of Uzbekistan's pavilion is the Sun Institute of Material Science, originally known as the Sun Heliocomplex, a large-scale scientific structure built in 1987 near Tashkent. As one of the final major scientific projects of the USSR, the solar furnace remains one of only two such facilities worldwide that study material behavior under extreme temperatures. The exhibition will examine the site's historical and contemporary significance, reflecting on its scientific role and cultural relevance beyond national borders.Save this picture!The pavilion's curators will present a dual narrative of the Sun Institute, exploring its ambivalent legacy, as both an advanced technological achievement and an infrastructure shaped by the constraints of its time. The exhibition will highlight how the structure embodies contradictions: it is both modernist and archaic, sustainable and unsustainable, didactic and secretive, celebratory and utilitarian. By reinterpreting its architectural and scientific importance, the exhibition aims to ignite discussions about preservation, innovation, and the role of scientific heritage in shaping the future. Related Article Qatar to Establish Permanent National Pavilion in the Giardini at La Biennale di Venezia, Debuting with Exhibition for Biennale Architettura 2025 Uzbekistan is a country with a rich cultural heritage, and this pavilion is a meaningful step in shining a spotlight on the brilliant and under-recognized Tashkent Modernist legacy. Much like Uzbekistan, the pavilion also looks to the future with a strong commitment to innovation and the aim to create meaningful contributions. The exhibition, curated by GRACE studio, reflects this duality and showcases how the Tashkent Modernism XX/XXI project, initially focused on the preservation of our architectural heritage, also sparks conversations about how we can create a positive future. --Gayane Umerova, chairperson of the Uzbekistan Art and Culture Development Foundation Save this picture!A key element of the pavilion is a series of architectural fragments that will be displayed at the Arsenale in Venice. These fragments, either transported from Uzbekistan or recreated for the exhibition, will serve as a theatrical stage within the pavilion, offering a dynamic setting for artistic and conceptual explorations. The project also pays tribute to Sadyk Azimov, the Uzbek physicist and academician who was instrumental in the development of the Sun Institute.The pavilion builds upon the ongoing Tashkent Modernism XX/XXI research project, initiated in 2021 by the Uzbekistan Art and Culture Development Foundation (ACDF) to document and preserve 24 key modernist sites in Tashkent. The project has led to the recognition of 21 of these sites as national heritage landmarks. The research is further explored in two forthcoming publications: "Tashkent Modernism XX/XXI," edited by Boris Chukhovich, Davide Del Curto, and Ekaterina Golovatyuk (to be published in Spring 2025), and "Tashkent: A Modernist Capital," featuring photography by Karel Balas, set for release in November 2024.Save this picture!In other similar news, Uzbekistan continues to position itself as a hub for architectural and urban innovation. Cross Works has unveiled a masterplan for a major expansion of Tashkent, aiming to introduce a sustainable and pedestrian-friendly urban environment. Meanwhile, Zaha Hadid Architects has revealed designs for a new scientific research center in Tashkent, set to become a landmark for technological and environmental advancements. Additionally, the exploration of Uzbekistan's modernist heritage remains a focal point, as seen in WaiWai's exhibition "Tashkent: Appropriating Modernism" at the Sharjah Triennial 2023, which examines the adaptation of modernist architecture in the Uzbek context.Save this picture!Image gallerySee allShow lessAbout this authorNour FakharanyAuthorCite: Nour Fakharany. "Uzbekistan Announces Curators and Theme for 2025 Venice Biennale Pavilion" 20 Feb 2025. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1027174/uzbekistan-announces-curators-and-theme-for-2025-venice-biennale-pavilion&gt ISSN 0719-8884Save!ArchDaily?You've started following your first account!Did you know?You'll now receive updates based on what you follow! Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors, offices and users.Go to my stream