In a time of uncertainties and catastrophes, boundaries and thresholds hold a particular meaning. As a loaded space of experiencing and suffering, as a camouflaged place of division, the border is also and always a provisional space. For it is the border in its divisive and obstructive nature that makes us aware of the provisional nature of human existence, and of what can potentially await us. For only in its existence as a line can it become a threshold, a place that dreams of a shared future starting from the here and now. Threshold’s contribution aims to engage with this border, becoming a threshold, and the dreams and stories associated with it.

The main entrance to the pavilion is blocked by earth. This earth is part of Ersan Mondtag’s work Monument of an Unknown Man. It disrupts the symmetry of the pavilion, which can only be entered through the side entrance to the right. The right wing houses the first part of Yael Bartana’s work Light To The Nations, a floating model of the spaceship created by Bartana.

From this point, the path leads to the main room where Ersan Mondtag’s Monument of an Unknown Man meets the video installation Farewell by Yael Bartana. The film is a standalone work, but it is also thematically linked to the narrative of the spaceship. In the front section of the left wing, one room is dedicated to introducing the background of Light To The Nations. It includes an interview with Doreet Levitte-Harten, who, as an expert on science fiction as well as Jewish mysticism and theory, was an inspiration for the work and provided extensive support during its creation. The central area of the left wing leads to the inner world of the spaceship, which has been created in virtual reality.

Back in the main room, you’ll find the entrance to the Monument of an Unknown Man by Ersan Mondtag. All levels of this multi-story installation are open to the public. Its top floor provides a clear view out of the pavilion towards the lagoon.

The German exhibition continues there: on the island of La Certosa. To visit this part, you have to turn around and leave the pavilion.