Milano is set to host the 24th International Exhibition of Triennale Milano, titled Inequalities, from May 13 to November 9, 2025. This ambitious exhibition aims to tackle the pressing issues surrounding social, economic, and cultural inequalities, making it not only timely but necessary.
This edition of the Triennale closes what has been termed as a trilogy, following the themes of Broken Nature, which aimed at sustainability back in 2019, and Unknown Unknowns, addressing the vast mysteries of the universe, including everything from cosmic space to the microscopic scale of viruses, which was showcased in 2022. Now, with Inequalities, the focus shifts to human dimensions and the societal fractures defining modern times.
From its opening date, Triennale Milano will transform itself from September 23 to November 03, 2023, highlighting the growing divide not just within cities but across the globe. The exhibition will invite architects, artists, scholars, and economists to reflect on the increasingly polarized world we are living in. Various storytelling approaches will be applied, connecting the language of architecture with cinema, art, and activism.
Among the prominent figures involved is renowned architect Norman Foster, who will investigate the relationship between urban planning and inequality. Fellow curators include Beatriz Colomina and Mark Wigley from Princeton and Columbia Universities respectively, who will be examining social stratification within contemporary architecture. Hans Ulrich Obrist, one of the world's leading curators, will likewise contribute his interdisciplinary insights, and Theaster Gates will focus his research on the intersections of art and community.
The exhibition will feature various projects by acclaimed architects like Kazuyo Sejima, Alejandro Aravena, and Elizabeth Diller, encouraging thoughtful discourse on urban space as tools for either inclusion or exclusion. Thai architect Boonserm Premthada is expected to present innovative solutions catering to the right to housing, emphasizing the necessity of addressing disparities at their roots.
On the cinematic front, Amos Gitai—the master storyteller—will weave narratives showcasing social tensions and geopolitical issues, bringing yet another dimension to the exhibition. Michael Spence, Nobel Prize-winning economist, is also set to deliver the inaugural lecture on May 12, elucidatively outlining the socio-economic impacts stemming from global inequalities.
Stefano Boeri, the President of Triennale Milano, declares, “We will show how immense wealth is concentrated in the hands of few, and how being born poor means staying poor for millions.” He elaborates on the broader narrative of inequalities, asserting, “Within the walls of our Triennale, for six months, we will speak of inequalities. We will do this by discussing cities and spaces but also bodies and lives. We will recount how the inequalities—with which we are born and those we encounter or even create—affect the life and health expectancy of us all.”
Indeed, the exhibition seeks not only to spotlight the stark realities of poverty, gentrification, and social exclusion but also to present innovative ideas, enlightened policies, and projects capable of transforming inequalities—a problem too often insurmountable—into fertile opportunities for community enhancement.
Dimitri S. Kerkentzes, Secretary General of the BIE—Bureau International des Expositions, emphasizes, “This edition of the Triennale is a pivotal opportunity to reflect not only on the problems but also on the possibilities for a more equitable future.” He reinforces the exhibition's potential for positive change, stating: “With Inequalities, Triennale Milano embodies this mission of examining one of the most pressing challenges of our time.”
The exhibition promises to serve as both a map of the current fractures and a laboratory for potential solutions. Milan is poised to become the focal point for those grappling with how to redefine the relationship between space, power, and social justice over the six-month duration.
While Inequalities does not aim to offer easy answers, it certainly raises unignorable questions and challenges attendees to rethink the future amid stark social divides.