Artists

Florentina Holzinger

Press release

SEAWORLD VENICE is conceived as an underwater theme park, sewage treatment plant, and sacred building—a machinic organism inhabited by performers for the duration of Biennale Arte 2026. For the Austrian Pavilion, Florentina Holzinger continues and expands her research into the element of water – for the first time, this is implemented in an exhibition concept. Holzinger puts the focus on a feminist approach to the motifs: She explores various modes of female representation and the potential of female physicality by continuously working on their expansion and the discovery of new possibilities. Water creatures from mythological and classic tales constitute starting points for immersing into a possible future of Venice. The project combines a permanent installation at the Austrian Pavilion alongside a series of site-specific actions across Venice and its lagoon, inviting audiences into participatory encounters. Artist statement: "In Venice - a city caught in a profound and precarious relationship with water - my ongoing fascination with this element will take on new dimensions. Here, the body will play a central role in exploring the interdependence and interplay between nature and technology." Curator: Nora-Swantje Almes.