TIME SPACE EXISTENCE - PALAZZO BEMBO

We, artists, creative entrepreneurs, and researchers, as a collective group we believe that there is a need for an emblematic space located in Venice, dedicating time and space and presenting the existence of the culture of Europe.

A centre devoted to cultural exchanges, meetings, artistic projects, and laboratories, with Europeans and others, it is our aim to cherish our differences and strengthen cultural commons.

TIME-SPACE-EXISTENCE is the second exhibition of the European Cultural Centre, which was created in 2014.

Sixty years ago, the Swiss philosopher and great pioneer of European integration, Denis de Rougemont, believed in a cultural Europe; in a Europe with direct participation of people beyond the nation-state with culture as a vital ingredient for Europe’s post-war rebuilding and healing.

Today, sixty years later, the importance of culture within the paradigm of our society’s wellbeing still needs recognition and further active stimulation, more than economic growth.

The reason for the need of the existence of a place for European arts, architecture, and culture is rooted in these statements by Denis de Rougemont.

Today’s ‘Erasmus generation’ is living Europe and is its future. Coming from Europe and abroad, they share an interest in the development of alternative approaches of cultural research and awareness; implementation of knowledge, which leads to an ongoing questioning.

Since 2002, the GAA-Foundation has organised worldwide exhibitions, symposia, and published books highlighting philosophical themes in contemporary art and architecture, in particular regarding the subjects Time Space Existence, bringing together artists and architects from various cultural backgrounds and different ages.

The Global Art Affairs Foundation presents in this exhibition what can be seen as a modest cross section of European architecture, in dialogue with several non-European architects.

“To cherish our differences and strengthen cultural commons”, this goal can only become reality if we open ourselves up to the world around us and share our thoughts, without prejudice.

This mission of the ECC, which, as a place for reflection, research, and creation for interdisciplinary encounters, as well as a centre for resources and experimentation, provides the conditions to invite artistic and creative practices from all fields, seeing them as a process of learning and experiencing.

Venice was chosen as the seat of the European Cultural Centre not only for its historical importance, it's a city with an extraordinary concentration of organizations dedicated to culture.

In the context of La Biennale di Venezia 2016, the European Cultural Centre presents TIME-SPACE-EXISTENCE in three of its prestigious Palazzo’s in Venice, Palazzo Mora, Palazzo Rossini and Bembo.

The exhibition shows an extensive combination of established architects and architects whose practice is less known, as a cross section of what can be seen as architecture today.

The exhibition mainly presents recent architecture by living architects. Conforming to the aim of the ECC, the exhibition features architecture presented in a broad variety of artistic media.

Since the more than 150 participating architects originate from very diverse cultures representing over 50 countries, the works are highlighted from unusual, very personal points of view.