for Manifesta 16 Ruhr

MANImemeFESTA 16

A Research Project by Foreign Pavilion

18–22 June 2026 · Ruhr · Join us for a series of playful happenings – everyone’s invited!

MANImemefesta is a research and design project by THE ARCHITECTURAL THINKING SCHOOL FOR CHILDREN, created for the Manifesta 16 Ruhr under the title This is not a Church.

The project investigates the potential of meme language as a contemporary medium for teenage expression and critical thinking.

Manifesta 16 church meme responding to “This Is Not a Church” theme

😂 INSTITUTIONAL CRINGE

Manifesta 16 meme “I get Manifesta 16” about understanding the biennale concept

❤️ SMART BUT SAFE

Manifesta 16 meme about biennale gatekeeping and cultural access

👎 DOESN’T WORK

Manifesta 16 meme about repetitive biennale culture

👍 FUNNY BUT EMPTY

Manifesta 16 meme about trade-offs between good churches and cultural use

😂 INSTITUTIONAL CRINGE

Manifesta 16 meme about an “incredibly modern idea” in architecture discourse

🔥 WORKS AS CRITIQUE

Manifesta 16 meme about exclusion of children from architecture events

😂 INSTITUTIONAL CRINGE

Manifesta 16 meme about unofficial participation by Foreign Pavilion

👍 FUNNY BUT EMPTY

Manifesta 16 meme about the church being destroyed as institutional metaphor

👍 FUNNY BUT EMPTY

Manifesta 16 meme about existential crisis after visiting the biennale

😂 INSTITUTIONAL CRINGE

Manifesta 16 meme about religion versus community in public space

❤️ SMART BUT SAFE

Manifesta 16 meme about critical reactions to Ruhr biennale culture

👎 DOESN’T WORK

Manifesta 16 meme about trying to understand the theme “This Is Not a Church”

❤️ SMART BUT SAFE

Manifesta 16 meme connecting Lisbon and Ruhr through playful critique

❤️ SMART BUT SAFE

Manifesta 16 distracted meme about church and exhibition narrative

👎 DOESN’T WORK

Manifesta 16 Ruhr meme about youth voice and symbolic participation

👍 FUNNY BUT EMPTY

Manifesta 16 meme about digital community and online institutional presence

🔥 WORKS AS CRITIQUE

Manifesta 16 Ruhr meme from a Portugal perspective

👍 FUNNY BUT EMPTY

Manifesta 16 meme about church versus playground as exhibition space

👎 DOESN’T WORK

Manifesta 16 meme about choosing church or creative participation

👍 FUNNY BUT EMPTY

Manifesta 16 meme about unofficial presence at the biennale

😂 INSTITUTIONAL CRINGE

Manifesta 16 meme about architectural superhero culture and biennale participation

🔥 WORKS AS CRITIQUE

Manifesta 16 meme about the button dilemma and curatorial choice

🔥 WORKS AS CRITIQUE

Manifesta 16 meme interpreting “This Is Not a Church” as approved institutional concept

❤️ SMART BUT SAFE

Manifesta 16 meme about trying to understand the institutional theme

👍 FUNNY BUT EMPTY

Manifesta 16 Ruhr meme about churches as exhibition spaces

🔥 WORKS AS CRITIQUE

Manifesta 16 meme about churches being “fine” within cultural institutions

❤️ SMART BUT SAFE

Manifesta 16 meme about curatorial power versus institutional space

🔥 WORKS AS CRITIQUE

Manifesta 16 meme about Architectural Thinking School participating in biennale discourse

❤️ SMART BUT SAFE

Manifesta 16 meme about misreading “This Is Not a Church”

😂 INSTITUTIONAL CRINGE

Manifesta 16 meme about transforming church space into cultural venue

🔥 WORKS AS CRITIQUE

Manifesta 16 meme about institutional transformation of church architecture

😂 INSTITUTIONAL CRINGE

Manifesta 16 meme about institutional seriousness versus play

❤️ SMART BUT SAFE

Manifesta 16 meme about silent judgement within exhibition politics

🔥 WORKS AS CRITIQUE

Manifesta 16 meme about curators and creators in architectural exhibitions

👍 FUNNY BUT EMPTY

Manifesta 16 meme questioning the meaning of “This Is Not a Church”

👍 FUNNY BUT EMPTY

Manifesta 16 meme questioning whether the exhibition space is a church

👍 FUNNY BUT EMPTY

Manifesta 16 meme about the gap between concept and architectural reality

👎 DOESN’T WORK

Manifesta 16 meme about confusion around “This Is Not a Church”

👍 FUNNY BUT EMPTY

Manifesta 16 meme about playful participation within exhibition culture

🔥 WORKS AS CRITIQUE

Manifesta 16 meme referencing “This Is Not a Tree” in response to exhibition language

🔥 WORKS AS CRITIQUE

Manifesta 16 meme about intrusion of play into institutional exhibition space

👍 FUNNY BUT EMPTY

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Team

Anton Itskov-Vinnik, David Vysotskyi, Diana Bagaeva, Filipp Kovalevich, Gleb Likhodievski, Iurii Sokov, Ivan Plevko, Kira Zakhlestina, Kira Ershova, Lev Overchenko, Maria Parkhomenko, Polina Krasilnikova, Taisiya Paulovna Sieiro dos Santos, Tommy Trotsenko, Yulianna Borisenko, Zoya Zonova

Curated by: Alexander Novikov, Elena Karpilova

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A series of conversations about Foreign Pavilion

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Contact

novikov@aschool.by
karpilova@aschool.by