To mark the 25th anniversary of the joint Nordic embassy complex in Berlin, the exhibition Summation reflects upon Queen Margrethe II of Denmark’s words “Each autonomous, and yet together”, formulated in 1999 as the guiding principle for the embassies’ unique collaboration in their new united premises.

The following article reflects the author’s experience visiting the exhibition Thresholds on the island La Certosa in the Venetian Lagoon. The exhibition is part of this year’s German Pavilion curated by Çağla Ilk, on view until the 24th of November. Some incidents and encounters are fictitious.

The Greek-Icelandic art festival Head2Head will take place across various locations in Reykjavík

Artist Andreas Brunner has been selected from a group of applicants for a residency at the guest studio Künstlerhaus Bethanien in the Kreuzberg district of Berlin, Germany. For the past five years, Icelandic visual artists and visual artists with a strong connection to the Icelandic art scene have been able to apply to stay in the studio.

If I had to use one adjective to describe the current Venice Biennale, I think I would choose the word refreshing. Don't get me wrong, the works are often very moving, as the main subject of this year's Bienniale is the struggle of many, different, marginalized groups. I use the word refreshing to describe my experience of this particular Biennale in the context of previous Biennales, and there are several reasons for that.

Icelandic or Iceland-based visual artists can apply for travel grants for exhibitions, projects, and residences abroad taking place around October — January. The deadline is October 1.

Wooden piles, limestone, brick, and Istrian stone, the four materials used to build the UNESCO World Heritage Site Venice, Italy. This is where I reside during my two-month internship at the 60th International Biennale Arte. The sounds of chatter echo in the narrow streets where your eyes come across historic Renaissance frescos amidst medieval architecture. The amount of beauty is inspiring; at times overwhelming, yet amongst the charm and medieval nostalgia, something feels peculiar. It hits me as I sit below a Platano tree in San Giacomo Square, its bark reminiscent of a Van Gogh watercolor painting. If this city is built on wooden piles in the Mediterranean Sea, how do the sparse trees survive on this island? How does a seed grow through limestone and brick without soil in the middle of a lagoon? I wonder if it´s a coincidence that the biannual festival resides in the island's greenest quarters, accurately named Giardini or “The Gardens”. With the ongoing genocide in Palestine, I am reminded of the resilience of artists creating in conditions that are now quite the antithesis of the lush biennale gardens.

Icelandic visual artists, or artists with a significant connection to the Icelandic art scene, can apply for a funded one-year residency at  in Berlin. The residency period is May 1, 2025 – April 15, 2026.