Adrian Ghenie's "The Darwin Room" series, showcased at the Romanian Pavilion during the 56th International Art Exhibition — La Biennale di Venezia in 2015, is a profound exploration of historical and evolutionary themes. Curated by Mihai Pop, the exhibition titled "Darwin’s Room" encompassed a selection of paintings distributed across three thematic rooms, adhering to the original architectural layout of the Pavilion from 1938. These themes, namely "The Tempest," "The Portrait Gallery (Self-portrait as Charles Darwin)," and "The Dissonances of History," offered a nuanced reflection on survival, history's impact on contemporary existence, and the notion of neoliberal competitiveness in society​ (Adrian Ghenie - Darwin's Room)​.

In this ambitious project, Ghenie drew upon Charles Darwin's theory of evolution as a metaphorical framework to comment on various aspects of human existence and societal evolution. Through his distinctive painterly style, employing palette knives and stencils, Ghenie depicted historical figures and scenarios intertwined with personal and collective narratives. His work is marked by an engagement with memory, desire, and the spectacle of history, melding these elements to question and reflect upon the construction of contemporary identity and values​ (HiSoUR)​.

Noteworthy pieces from the series include "Darwin and the Satyr," which juxtaposes the rational and irrational realms through the symbolic figures of Darwin and a mythological satyr; "The Storm," embodying the tempest as a metaphor for the tumult of subterranean history; "Burning Bush" and "Opernplatz," addressing ideological purifications and historical traumas; "Black Flag," an abstract commemoration of traumatic contexts; and "Carnivorous Flowers," portraying Josef Mengele, hinting at the hypocrisy and failure of justice​ (HiSoUR)​.

Ghenie's work does not simply represent historical events or figures but delves into the complexities of how past narratives continue to shape and influence the present and future. "The Darwin Room" series is emblematic of Ghenie's broader artistic concerns, including the interrogation of memory, history, and the fluidity of identity within the context of a globalized, neoliberal world​ (HiSoUR)​.