The 19th International Architecture Exhibition shines a spotlight on the Fondazione Pistoletto with The Third Paradise Perspective, an immersive installation supported by Pomilio Blumm. Visitors to the Biennale enter a striking, sensory environment: a flooded room where water rises to 70 centimetres – mirroring the projected sea level in Venice by the year 2100. Cutting through the water, a walkway shaped as the Third Paradise symbol invites reflection on collective responsibility and the possibility of building shared solutions for the future.

The Third Paradise symbol, conceived by Michelangelo Pistoletto in 2003, serves here as both a tangible structure and a conceptual key to the exhibition. Its inclusion at the entrance is deliberate: this initial space stands as a threshold where the tangible effects of climate change become visible, urging visitors to confront the challenges of a transforming world.

Far from being a mere emblem of hope, The Third Paradise Perspective proposes a real connection between natural and artificial intelligence – a synergistic vision capable of addressing global crises. Set against the backdrop of a near-dystopian climate scenario for Venice, “the Third Paradise emerges as the only source of light and hope, guiding visitors – both literally and symbolically – towards the heart of the Biennale and a regenerative vision of tomorrow,” states the official Cittadellarte press release.

Founded in 1998 in Biella by Michelangelo Pistoletto – a leading figure of the Arte Povera movement – Cittadellarte is a non-profit foundation devoted to social and artistic innovation. The Third Paradise Perspective stems from one of its creative laboratories. Pomilio Blumm has also supported Scanno, the Third Paradise – a pioneering project uniting art, architecture and community regeneration in the mountain village of Scanno, nestled within the Abruzzo National Park in central Italy. Long admired by artists and photographers such as Henri Cartier-Bresson, Mario Giacomelli, Hilde Lotz-Bauer, Gianni Berengo Gardin, Mimmo Jodice and Steve McCurry, Scanno now becomes the stage for a bold experiment in cultural renewal.

“Why are we here at Biennale 25 with a work of art like The Third Paradise? Because it operates on three – or even four – dimensions. There is the artwork itself, the light that extends into the next dimension – water – and the temperature that anticipates how much that water will rise over the next century. The increase in sea levels, the rise in the Earth’s temperature, and the urgency of environmental action are all embedded in the relationship that the Third Paradise symbol represents between nature and humanity. For us, standing alongside Michelangelo Pistoletto in such a significant artistic project at the opening of the Architecture Biennale is part of our mission and ongoing research. In institutional communication – particularly when expressing the values that shape society and inspire new generations – the future of every territory can lie in art, because art is a forerunner of social phenomena,” said Franco Pomilio, President of Pomilio Blumm.

The Third Paradise Perspective can be visited at the Venice Architecture Biennale until 23 November 2025.

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