Memory, Caducity, and Eternity in Contemporary Art and Design
Curated by Giovanni Cordoni
After the enormous success of the previous edition – which attracted over 21,000 visitors, more than 600 artists and designers from 84 countries and 5 continents, and included the extraordinary participation of lifetime achievement award winners Patricia Urquiola and Tim Burton – the Florence Biennale looks to the future by announcing the theme of its 16th edition, from 23 to 31 October 2027 at the Fortezza da Basso in Florence.
The year 2027 marks an important milestone: the 30th anniversary of the Florence Biennale (1997–2027). This anniversary is not only a reason to celebrate but also an opportunity to reflect on the event’s history and its role in the international contemporary art and design scene.
It is within this context that the theme “Beyond the Sense of Time” is framed, continuing the curatorial approach developed by Giovanni Cordoni in recent years. Having explored identity and the duality of existence, the Biennale now focuses on the dimension of time, seen as a central element of contemporary experience: he explains the idea behind this choice as follows: “If the media have gradually dissolved the traditional relationship between social experience and physical space, making information omnipresent and simultaneous, this is primarily because they have transformed the way we experience time. Waiting has been reduced, the archives of the past overlap with a continuous present, and far-off events unfold simultaneously before our eyes. If our age tends to compress time into a perpetual immediacy, art can restore its depth, reactivating the dialogue between memory and transience, between that which endures and that which inevitably fades away”.
In today’s society, which is deeply influenced by digital technologies, our perception of time has changed radically: past, present, and future intertwine in a continuous flow, in which experience is simultaneous, accessible, and constantly open to reinterpretation. In this context, art and design play a fundamental role in restoring depth and awareness to our relationship with time.
The theme is structured around three main directions:
• Memory – the inner dimension of time, the stratification of experience, and the persistence of the past and in the present;
• Caducity – the awareness of finitude and the impermanent nature of existence;
• Eternity – the human aspiration towards the absolute and the search for a continuity that transcends time.
Within this context, the Florence Biennale invites artists and designers to reflect on the relationship between past, present, and future, transforming time into a shared experience.
In the light of the 30th anniversary, this reflection takes on an added significance: reflecting on time also means looking back at the history of the Biennale itself and considering our responsibility towards future generations. In an era marked by rapid change and global tensions, the theme serves as an invitation to rediscover the value of shared time, of dialogue between cultures, and of building a common future.
(Some of the works that inspired the theme of the 16th edition. From left to right:
‘Melting Memories’ – Refik Anadol; “Omniverse” – Anthony Howe; ‘Melting Memories’ – Refik Anadol)
The visual graphic accompanying the announcement of the theme was specially created by the artist and designer Chiara Zhu, winner of the 3rd “Leonardo da Vinci” International Design Prize at the 15th Florence Biennale (2025), who was invited to interpret the concept of the upcoming edition.
Director Jacopo Celona states: “As we reach the thirtieth anniversary of the Florence Biennale (1997–2027), this milestone is a source of great pride for me as Director. Over the past thirty years, we have seen the event grow steadily, edition after edition, consolidating its role on the international contemporary art and design scene. This public success has been matched by the support and participation of hundreds of artists, many of whom have found the Biennale to be a key opportunity for visibility and recognition. This anniversary is not only a celebration of the journey we have undertaken, but also an incentive to look ahead with renewed enthusiasm. We are deeply pleased with this achievement and are already working on the new edition that will build on and surpass the milestones we have reached.”
Accompanying the exhibition programme, the Florence Biennale will present a wide range of events, including conferences, performances, special projects, international premieres, award ceremonies and educational initiatives, providing concrete opportunities for artists, designers and the public to meet and exchange views on the many aspects of art and culture, with a particular focus on the exhibition’s theme.
Applications are now open to artists and designers from around the world, who can apply by submitting their work in a wide range of categories, including painting, sculpture, photography, video art, installation, performance art, digital art, and design in all its forms, from architecture to product design, and from fashion to visual communication.
For further information, please visit https://www.florencebiennale.org/
USEFUL INFORMATION
EVENT: 16th FLORENCE BIENNALE
WHEN: 23–31 October 2027
LOCATION: Fortezza da Basso – Florence
APPLICATION FORM: https://www.florencebiennale.org/it/invia-candidatura
CONTACTS FLORENCE BIENNALE
EMAIL: info@florencebiennale.org
WEB: https://www.florencebiennale.org/
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YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChuO0x9KKi2q0aKtobhcd_A
LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/company/florence-biennale/
2026.04.03 Stockholm
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