The theme of the Biennale is «Seven-winged home». The concept of «home» specifically defined the visual style of the biennial. The pictorialism of the traditional Chuvash house, the ornamental carvings of its gates in particular, became the basis of the style. During the 20th century this artistic tradition has been lost.

The key image of the biennale is based on the solar symbols which adorned the gates in various ways. The solar symbols, which are often depicted as ornamented circles, represent fertility and wealth. At the same time, they were guardians of the house that protected its inhabitants from misfortune and bad luck.

The decoration of the gate pillars in the traditional Chuvash architecture of the home is a phenomenon that indicates profound cultural interrelations specific for a wider regional context. Giving these functional elements decorative value, the Chuvash people not only decorated their houses but also sought to achieve an archetypal shape of the column. This practice refers us to the architectural traditions of the Caucasus, Western Asia, Greece and Russia where columns and pillars played an important role, performing not only functional but also symbolic tasks. Thus, the decoration of the gate pillars becomes a symbol of the intercultural dialogue and a pursuit for the aesthetic integrity of the home.

The variation of the elements of columns’ design is admirable, while the graphic composition remains stable - there is always the sun at the top of the column, which reflects the concept of the cosmos. If one could imagine a temple of the Chuvash culture, then it would be possible to tell what its columns would look like.

One of the approaches to work with the brand identity is to reconsider forgotten traditions of gate design. For instance, you can imagine how these lost elements will look like on modern metal gates. Laser cutting technology provides an opportunity to safely experiment with a metal. We open up access to the files and invite everyone who wants to participate in a creative reinterpretation of the tradition.

The brand identity is created by omtoki