The British Council Reveals "Dancing Before the Moon" Pavilion for Venice Architecture Biennale 2023

The British Pavilion has released information regarding the designers and the exhibition’s “Dancing Before the Moon,” which will be featured at the 18th International Architecture Exhibition at the 2023 Venice Biennale.

The exhibition is organized by Jayden Ali, an architect, and designer; Joseph Henry, a designer, and urbanist; Meneesha Kellay, an artist and curator based in London; and Sumitra Upham, an instructor, and curator based in London. The exhibition will feature a new movie, soundtrack, and exhibits by six visual artists and designers.

It has also been announced that the Arsenale and Giardini in Venice, Italy, will host the 20th Venice Architecture Biennale from May 20 to November 26, 2023. The Laboratory of the Future is Lesley Lokko’s 18th Venice Architecture Biennale artistic theme.

Curators (from left) Jayden Ali, Meneesha Kellay, Joseph Henry, and Sumitra Upham, 2022. ©The British Council

“Reconsidering the impact of humans on the built world is the focus of the British Pavilion at the Biennale Architettura 2023. It exemplifies the importance of considering people’s daily social practices, rituals, and beliefs in addition to buildings and economic institutions when designing spaces that accurately represent how people employ and inhabit them.” Jayden Ali, Joseph Henry, Meneesha Kellay, and Sumitra Upham made this claim in their own words.

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Dancing Before The Moon

“The Dancing Before The Moon” exhibition, coordinated and arranged by the British Council Architecture, will revolve around how ethnic communities use daily rituals, such as gardening, cooking, playing games, and dancing, to create a sense of belonging and a sense of place. In addition to showcasing innovative designs, the expo will also highlight fresh perspectives on the construction industry.

The Pavilion will be transformed into a vision of the future of British architecture thanks to several installations displayed by a group of British architects and designers as part of the Dancing Before The Moon exhibition. The Pavilion will serve as a focal point for celebrating social practices that unite people and transform physical environments.

Economy of the Dust, 2022, Sandra Poulson, V.O. Curations, London, installation view. ©Sandra Poulson

A brand-new outdoor sculpture created by Jayden Ali has been erected to greet guests as they enter the “Dancing Before The Moon” British Pavilion. A massive cinematic installation featuring a film created by the curators and their partners will be on display in the Pavilion’s main hall, focusing on the significance of rituals in mirroring the practices and social determinants of citizens who reside in the United Kingdom.

Pavilion in the V&A John Madejski Garden for London Design Festival, 2021, Nebbia Works (Madhav Kidao), ©Nebbia Works

Five artists and architects from the United Kingdom, including Olaniyi Studio Director Yusef Agbo-Ola, artist and designer Mac Collins, ceramic artist Shawanda Corbett, London-based Nebbia Works founder Madhav Kidao, and Angolan cross-disciplinary artist Sandra Poulson, will showcase their work in the Pavilion’s various galleries. Objects that speak to how worldwide cultures use and abuse space will also be displayed.

Open Code, 2022, Mac Collins. ©Megan Jepson

Since 1937, the British Council has been in charge of the British Pavilion at the International Art, and Architecture Exhibitions held as part of the Venice Architecture Biennale. The Pavilion has served as a platform for some of the United Kingdom’s most talented artists, architects, designers, and collectors.

The Council’s mission is to provide a forum for stimulating debate that shapes the built world of the future. The Council selects which architects will be featured in the yearly architecture exhibitions each year. Past participants have included widely recognized architects such as Zaha Hadid, Richard Rogers, and Norman Foster.

Through an open call initiated in 2012, the group has been commissioning exhibitions ever since to inspire artists to use the forum as a showcase for their work.

NONO : Soil Temple, 2022, Yussef Agbo-Ola, ©Olaniyi Studio

“All over the world, people honor the moon since it represents continuity and new beginnings. This quotation speaks to our desire to learn more about and participate in rites and customs around the world that honor the earth and the stars. It suggests a new approach to thinking about how groups hold space together through social practices and their interactions with territory and topography as a whole. Moreover, it has important implications for both the past and the future.” Curators added their thoughts.

British Council Director of Architecture Design Fashion Sevra Davis remarked, “We are thrilled that the British Pavilion “Dancing Before The Moon” at the 18th International Architecture Exhibition will take a fresh perspective on architecture and the built environment by arguing for rituals as a means of transforming spaces.”