Art and Identity at the Biennale: Venice as a Map of Connections

Art and Identity at the Venice Biennale

An exhibition hosted at Palazzo Donà delle Rose frames contemporary art as a reflection on identity: twenty-three artists from various countries present works that explore belonging, memory and cultural exchange. Curated by Koyo Kouoh, the show turns Venice into a network of international connections where each piece contributes to a broader conversation.

A standout installation is by Italian-Albanian artist Alfred Mirashi, known as MILOT. His work titled "Senza Chiave" arranges plates holding deformed, colored keys: everyday objects that lose their practical function and become symbols suspended between personal recollection and collective meaning. The piece prompts reflection on home, transition and the erosion of rigid identity borders.

The exhibition reads like a map of relationships: each artist adds a perspective on freedom, dialogue and mobility. Venice, historically a crossroads of cultures, provides an apt setting for this collective narrative that favors openness and complexity.

What to see and practical tips

• Key installation: "Senza Chiave" by MILOT – a contemplative stop that reinterprets commonplace objects as symbolic forms.
• Main themes: identity, migration, memory, intercultural dialogue.
• Venue: Palazzo Donà delle Rose – the display is organized across the palace rooms.
• Visit tip: allow time to stand with each work and read the labels: many installations rely on delicate details and layered personal and collective references.

Overall, this Biennale presentation proposes art as a threshold and a means of encounter: the most important doors are those crossed with attention, imagination and critical thought rather than with a physical key.