Greece: the weight of history?

The Greek Pavilion in the Giardini is a neo-Byzantine building constructed by Georgios Papandreou in 1934. Although built during the second phase of construction of the pavilions and placed behind the great 20th-century powers, Greece was invited to sit at the same table as the world's most important countries, albeit with seats at the back.

The same is true of the country's presence at the European table today. But large and small are closely linked—inextricably global. This year the singularly named Diohandi (b. 1945, trained as an artist and architect), was given responsibility for her country's pavilion and made a radical choice in its execution.

She essentially annulled the historic building by covering it with a wooden structure, transforming it into a cube. The original building can be seen through the gaps in the wood. After entering through a slit in the cube, visitors find themselves on a catwalk surrounded by water with a light on the bottom. It seems like a pleasant experience—hope at the end of the path. But an alarm renders the passage irritating. Visitors enter, have a look and exit immediately. Just enough time for a fleeting impression. One cannot help but think of the parallel to the actual state of Greece.

The pavilion at this 54th Biennale seems, like others this year, extraordinarily consistent with the country's situation. It contains the hypothesis that a simple form of the present (hiding the historic pavilion) which only hints at its past (through the gaps)—not denying it but distancing it—is the only way to get out of trouble, or that it is safe to walk on a path at the bottom of which you can see a light, but the walk is difficult due to the sound. Or that only by relying on the moderation of experienced elders can the crisis be overcome. Ordinary citizens of course.

In several senses this is what has happened to the real country, which is painfully adapting to change, but not without serious protests by those who have to pay the high price. The rest is in the hands of the banks. Nevertheless, after the crash comes numerous rescues by countries that portray themselves as innocent saviors (but are not), and finally the new "Marshall Plan" announced in late July to save Greece. Not to mention the Euro.

Perhaps the message of this project, which is not striking or even disruptive, but rather precise and measured, is what is needed in Italy, and in other countries as well: rethinking how we want to live, sweeping away the idea that everything is always possible, placing the idea of the common good at the center (everyone must pay taxes and the rich even more), eliminating corruption (one of the most serious problems in Greece, and from which Italy and other EU countries are not immune). It is interesting that such awareness can come from a country that has been so sidelined today.
Simona Bordone