Fr(Agile) Systems: A Suspended Fragility at the Pakistan Pavilion
Interview with Salman Jawed
At the Pakistan Pavilion, Fr(Agile) Systems confronts the country’s acute climatic and social fragility. Through suspended salt structures, the installation exposes systemic imbalances and calls for an equitable global response.
In her interview with Salman Jawed (Coalesce Design Studio), led by Francesca Acerboni, the curator of Fr(Agile) Systems, the Pakistan Pavilion at the 19th Venice Architecture Biennale, Francesca Acerboni highlights the urgency of addressing a system that is extremely fragile, both climatically and socially.
Marked by recurring heatwaves, torrential rains, and floods, Pakistan’s territory suffers daily from the tragic consequences of climate change. The proposed installation thus positions itself as an alternative stance to the curatorial statement of the Biennale.
At the center of the exhibition space stands a suspended structure holding blocks of rock salt, a material widely available and traditionally used in the country. Rather than evoking an image of harmony and balance, this curatorial choice underscores the profound internal imbalances of the territory, seeking to stimulate a collective, equitable, and intelligent global response capable of fostering tangible improvements to the precarious conditions of Pakistan.
Curators/exhibitors: Anique Azhar (MAS/Architects), Sami Chohan (Studio 4Pai; Navigating Noplace; GCAS-Jehan), Salman Jawed (Coalesce Design Studio), Bilal Kapadia (Coalesce Design Studio), Mustafa Mehdi (Coalesce Design Studio), Madeeha Merchant (DOT; Urban Justice League; Columbia University), Arsalan Rafique (The Urban Research Frontier; Revolving Games), Ayesha Sarfraz (MAS/Architects; Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture)
