Temporary Temple of the New Genius

59th Venice Biennale, Venice, IT, 2022

An adaptive performative and architectural environment developed for Kazakhstan’s first national pavilion at the 59th Venice Biennale, conceived in response to disrupted logistics caused by the war of Russia against Ukraine

Due to the war of Russia against Ukraine, the works for Kazakhstan’s pavilion did not arrive in time for the opening week of the Venice Biennale, making it impossible for ORTA to launch and present the originally conceived Centre for the New Genius during the opening days.

Rather than leaving the pavilion empty, ORTA developed an adaptive performative and architectural environment — the Temporary Temple of the New Genius — translating the principles of the New Genius into a live, operative form under radically altered conditions.

Concept, framework and artistic direction
Alexandra Morozova, Rustem Begenov

Collective composition developed with
Alexandr Bakanov

Performative and exhibition environment
ORTA