Parallel realities: how art at Triennale Milano confronts inequality and inspires action
- Tenzin Dorjee
- 3 days ago
- 4 min read
Updated: 17 hours ago
The Parallel Realities exhibition, curated by the UN SDG Action Campaign, transforms the Triennale Milano into a platform for global dialogue. Running from 13 May to 9 November 2025, this immersive pavilion, featuring the evocative work of artist Uğur Gallenkuş, juxtaposes stark visuals of privilege and deprivation to highlight systemic inequalities.
Gallenkuş’s collages, blending images of affluence with scenes of poverty and conflict, challenge visitors to confront uncomfortable truths about global disparities. The exhibition aligns with SDG 10 by addressing economic, gender, and climate-related inequalities, while embodying SDG 17 through its partnerships with cultural institutions like Triennale Milano and changemakers worldwide.
The pavilion’s design is both technical and emotive, integrating large-scale artworks, interactive digital installations, and audiovisual storytelling. This fusion creates a multi-sensory experience, encouraging visitors to move from awareness to action. The UN Act Now platform, promoted at the exhibition’s conclusion, invites individuals to log sustainable actions, aiming for 200,000 activities by November 2025. Such initiatives reflect a growing trend: cultural platforms are increasingly vital for amplifying sustainability messages, with UNESCO reporting that 80% of people are more likely to engage with social issues through creative mediums.
The power of art in addressing inequalities
Art’s ability to transcend cultural and linguistic barriers makes it a potent tool for advancing the SDGs. The Parallel Realities exhibition leverages this by presenting data-driven narratives alongside emotional storytelling. For instance, it highlights that 736 million people live below the international poverty line, a figure from the UN’s 2023 SDG Progress Report, while showcasing stories of changemakers advocating for equality. This dual approach, analytical yet accesible, ensures broad appeal, engaging both policymakers and the public.
However, the exhibition’s impact hinges on its ability to translate inspiration into tangible outcomes. Critics note that high-profile cultural initiatives risk remaining symbolic unless paired with policy advocacy or community-level action. The UN SDG Action Campaign counters this by linking the exhibition to global decision-making moments, such as the High-Level Political Forum, ensuring its messages resonate beyond the gallery walls. Marina Ponti, the campaign’s Global Director, emphasises, “This pavilion is an urgent call to rethink systems perpetuating inequality,” underscoring its ambition to drive systemic change.
Partnerships: The backbone of global goals
SDG 17 underscores the necessity of multi-stakeholder partnerships, and Parallel Realities exemplifies this principle. The collaboration between the UN SDG Action Campaign, Triennale Milano, and artists like Gallenkuş demonstrates how diverse sectors, government, culture, and civil society, can unite for sustainability. The pavilion’s production, managed by a specialised company handling technical setup and audiovisual integration, further illustrates the technical expertise required to deliver such initiatives. This partnership model is critical: the UN reports that Official Development Assistance for SDGs reached $147 billion in 2017, yet more coordinated efforts are needed to meet the 2030 Agenda’s $4 trillion annual funding gap.
The exhibition also amplifies voices from the Global South, addressing a key critique of SDG initiatives: the need for equitable representation. By featuring changemakers from diverse regions, it fosters North-South and South-South cooperation, aligning with SDG 17’s call for inclusive partnerships. This approach not only enriches the narrative but also ensures relevance across contexts, from urban Milan to rural communities facing climate injustice.
Challenges and opportunities for impact
While the Parallel Realities exhibition is a compelling catalyst, its success depends on overcoming challenges. The 2023 SDG Progress Report warns that progress on SDG 10 is uneven, with income inequality rising in 60% of countries since 2015. Cultural initiatives alone cannot dismantle structural barriers, but they can ignite dialogue and mobilise action. The exhibition’s integration with the AWorld app, which tracks individual SDG actions, is a step toward measurable impact, yet scaling such efforts remains complex.
Moreover, the SDGs face broader hurdles. A 2022 meta-analysis highlights trade-offs, such as balancing economic growth (SDG 8) with environmental sustainability (SDG 13). The exhibition’s focus on inequalities offers a lens to navigate these tensions, advocating for inclusive growth that prioritises marginalised communities. By fostering dialogue at a prestigious venue like Triennale Milano, it positions sustainability as a cultural imperative, potentially influencing policy and public behaviour.
The Parallel Realities exhibition is more than an art display; it is a clarion call for a more equitable, sustainable world. As global challenges intensify, widening inequalities, climate crises, and social exclusión, initiatives like this demonstrate the power of creativity to inspire change. The UN SDG Action Campaign’s work reminds us that achieving the SDGs requires collective effort, from individual actions to systemic reforms.
Readers are encouraged to explore further by visiting the UN SDG Action Campaign’s website (https://sdgactioncampaign.org) for insights into global efforts or downloading the AWorld app to log sustainable actions. For a deeper dive into the SDGs, the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals portal (https://sdgs.un.org) offers comprehensive resources. By engaging with these platforms, individuals can join a global movement to transform our world, ensuring no one is left behind.
Artist portfolio and more information: https://ugurgallenkus.com/
Event and more information: https://sdgactioncampaign.org/parallel-realities/
