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

Biennale Arte 2026: 'Ciclica' by Jacopo Di Cera

Exhibition period: 9 May – 22 November 2026

At the Sierra Leone National Pavilion, Jacopo Di Cera presents Ciclica, a site-specific installation curated by Rebecca Pedrazzi. The work stages a dancing female figure surrounded by 36 upcycled screens, turning climate-related data and imagery into a sensory experience that mixes video, zenithal light and an original soundscape.

Work description

Ciclica is structured in three narrative nuclei — birth, life and death of Gea — arranged as a visual triptych. Performer Lidia Carew moves through progressively fragmented scenarios: environmental decay images appear as glitches within the choreography, emphasizing the tension between natural order and human intervention. Musician MKDB created the accompanying sonic environment.

Why see it

The project is significant because it integrates message and medium: the screens are sourced from reuse processes, making the technological support part of the critique against planned obsolescence. The zenithal visual grammar and triptych editing propose a cyclical reading of the climate crisis while opening space for critical reflection and renewal.

Practical information

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

Curatorial context and bio note

Ciclica is included in the Mondi Presenti / Worlds of Today project and relates to the 61st International Art Exhibition's theme, "In Minor Keys", which promotes peripheral narratives and resilient practices. Jacopo Di Cera (Milan, 1981) is a visual artist working across photography, installation and digital technologies; his recent work focuses on technological reuse, drones and layered visual storytelling.

Who it's for

Recommended for audiences interested in contemporary art at the intersection of technology and environmental activism: curators, visual arts students and visitors seeking immersive works that combine movement, sound and image.