Biennale Arte 2026 — 'Ciclica' by Jacopo Di Cera at the Sierra Leone

Overview

Ciclica is a site-specific multimedia installation by Jacopo Di Cera, curated by Rebecca Pedrazzi, presented at the Sierra Leone National Pavilion during the 61st Venice Art Biennale. The work stages a dancing deity across 36 upcycled screens, turning environmental data and imagery into a layered sensory narrative.

About the work

The piece is organized into three narrative sections — birth, life and death of Gea — and combines video, zenithal lighting, shadow play and an original soundtrack by composer MKDB. Performer Lidia Carew embodies the central figure, moving through visuals that progressively fracture: images of environmental damage appear as glitches within the choreography, highlighting the rupture between nature and human intervention.

Why it matters

The installation makes its medium part of the message: screens sourced from reuse and technological reconversion underline themes of planned obsolescence and ecological urgency. The triptych structure and the zenithal perspective propose a cyclical reading of the climate emergency, offering both a critical diagnosis and a poetic sense of regeneration.

Practical information

• Exhibition dates: 9 May – 22 November 2026
• Venue: Sierra Leone National Pavilion, Campo dei Carmini, 30123 Venice
• Press preview: 6–8 May 2026, 11:00–19:00
• Official pavilion opening: 7 May 2026, 12:00 (event at Liceo Artistico Statale M. Guggenheim, Sestiere Dorsoduro, 2613, Venice)
• Curator: Rebecca Pedrazzi
• Composer: MKDB
• Performer: Lidia Carew

Curatorial context

Ciclica is part of the Mondi Presenti / Worlds of Today project curated by Sandro Orlandi Stagle and Willy Montini. Aligned with the Biennale’s theme "In Minor Keys," the pavilion emphasizes subtle, local narratives, resilient practices and an approach that privileges listening and relational exchange.

Artist note

Jacopo Di Cera (Milan, 1981) is a visual artist working across photography, installation and digital practices. His research addresses migration, the environment and technological systems; he is active in international exhibitions and explores reuse, drones and layered visual languages in recent projects.

Who should attend

The installation is recommended for contemporary art audiences interested in the intersection of technology and environmental activism, curators, art students and visitors seeking immersive experiences that combine movement, sound and image.