Countless Cities - the Biennale of the Cities of the World

Countless Cities - the Biennale of the Cities of the World

Curated by FARM Cultural Park

The Biennale aims to explore urban dynamics and the social, cultural, and economic challenges that characterize cities around the world, highlighting the power of culture and good relationships as tools to address conflicts and promote a sustainable future. Through exhibitions, performances, and film screenings, the project seeks to raise public awareness of the importance of cultural diplomacy, soft power, and urban health, celebrating the cities' ability to transform and regenerate.

In its fourth edition, Countless Cities is presented under the title The Superpowers of Culture and Good Relationships, focusing on the ability of culture to respond to conflicts and build new forms of dialogue. The event will explore how confrontation, inevitable and constant in human relations, can be transformed into an opportunity for growth and development.
Three major thematic areas will guide the Biennale: Culture Always, which explores the role of culture as a driver of change; Healthy Cities, which investigates the relationship between the urban environment and well-being; and Cities & Soft Power, which analyzes the role of institutions and cultural movements in building new urban identities.
The event will host a series of thematic pavilions, exploring the role of culture, architecture, and innovation in urban regeneration and in building more resilient and inclusive communities.

Three Cities, One World

The New York Pavilion, curated by Dulcina Abreu of the Andrew Freedman Home Initiative, will focus on the Bronx and its revitalization efforts. Using art, technology, and entrepreneurship, the pavilion will explore strategies for reconnecting and revitalizing international communities of color, promoting practices of inclusion and sustainable development on both a local and global scale.

The Nazareth Pavilion, curated by Palestinian architect Razan Zoubi Zeidani, will delve into the concept of Palestinian urban identity and the relationship between the Palestinian people and the home as a symbol of resistance. The installation will draw inspiration from "Aldar," the space she founded to merge art, culture, and architecture in preserving Arab heritage.

The Medellín Pavilion, created by an international team of experts including Luca Bullaro, Jorge Torres, Giovanna Spera, and Horacio Valencia, will present a dreamlike account of the Colombian city's transformation from one of the most dangerous in the world to a model of social urban planning and public architecture. The installation will use hanging bamboo elements to represent the natural morphology of the valley where Medellín is located, symbolically recreating the city river and its tributaries. The project is supported by the Universidad Nacional de Colombia and the Municipality of Medellín.

Additionally, Countless Cities includes two complementary initiatives that explore the relationship between cities, culture, and identity through literature and cinema: Literature and Cities, curated by Roberto Bruccoleri, and Across the Cities, a film series curated by Andrea Bartoli.

Literature and Cities – Literary Performances
Curated by Roberto Bruccoleri, the project offers a journey through three lesser-known European cities, rich in history and culture, through literary works that have shaped their imagery. Belfast will be narrated through the paths of "Eureka Street," Dresden through the memory of the 1945 bombing, and Bilbao beyond the symbol of the Guggenheim. Each literary performance will combine historical research, narrative, and current affairs, offering a fresh look at authentic cities still untouched by mass tourism.

Across the Cities – Film Series
Curated by Andrea Bartoli, the series features three documentaries that tell stories of urban transformations and resilience in various metropolises around the world: "Moving a Megacity" explores Indonesian President Joko Widodo's ambitious project to move the capital from Jakarta to Nusantara, examining the environmental, urban, and social implications of building a new metropolis. "Shock Wave" recounts the tragedy of the Beirut port explosion through testimonies from survivors facing the challenge of rebuilding and collective resilience. "Mariupol: The Chronicles of Hell" documents the fall of the Ukrainian city, its destruction, and the drama of civilians trapped, witnessing the power of resistance in the face of occupation and humanitarian catastrophe.

Countless Cities is not just an exhibition, but a workshop of ideas and reflections on the future of cities, an invitation to rethink urban spaces as places of innovation and inclusion, through the strength of culture and human relationships.