LAI–PI–CHU–PLEE–LAPA Centre for the New Genius

Kazakhstan Pavilion, 59th Venice Biennale, Venice, IT, 2022

LAI–PI–CHU–PLEE–LAPA Centre for the New Genius is a project by ORTA created for the first-ever Kazakhstan National Pavilion at the 59th Venice Biennale.

It takes the form of an immersive installation-exhibition—a functioning research center dedicated to the legacy of Sergey Kalmykov (1891–1967), artist, writer, inventor, and visionary.

The pavilion was structured as a sequence of interconnected rooms, each operating as a distinct research unit within a unified system. These included environments dedicated to the study of Kalmykov’s manuscripts and images, zones for the production of Sacred Expositions, experimental robotic and electronic constructions, and spaces for sound and performative activation. At the center of this system stood the Generator of Genius, operating as its primary core and energy source. Together, these elements formed a continuous spatial apparatus.

As a result of the Centre’s work, the existence of Genions—first identified within the Temporary Temple of the New Genius—was subsequently confirmed and further developed through ongoing research.

The installation brings together photography, embroidery, robotics, electronics, sculpture, music, and text into a unified environment. Within this space, the Centre operates as an active site of investigation, generating new discoveries and developments within the Theory of the New Genius.