In her presentation as part of the German Pavilion at the 60th Venice Biennale, Yael Bartana envisions life in outer space while challenging preconceived ideas of identity and belonging. In the immersive video and installation work, a ship carries humans towards new galaxies and planets, serving as a beacon of hope and innovation; humanity is invited to embark on a collective journey while the earth heals. Overlaying imagined technologies with Jewish mystical doctrine, Bartana imagines the ship as a vehicle of redemption. As such, the work contemplates narratives of migration and proposes a new type of existence while raising profound questions about nationalism, identity preservation, and political redefinition.
Yael Bartana, Light to the Nations: Farewell, 2024, video installation. Photo by Andrea Rossetti.