Venice of art

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by

Eleftheria Alavanou
in ,
Figures from Venice’s past…
A snapshot from the major Anish Kapoor exhibition (2022) held simultaneously at the Gallerie dell’Accademia and Palazzo Manfrin.
Małgorzata Mirga-Tas, of Polish and Roma heritage, represented Poland at the 2022 Venice Biennale with the installation “Re-enchanting the World: Homecoming”. The face masks worn by visitors are a reminder that Covid-19 was still very much present in our lives.
Venice’s architectural heritage is unparalleled, with towering stone palazzi built between the 10th and 18th centuries. Descendants of Italian noble families often continue to live in part of a palace they inherited or acquired, while renting out the rest (this is the case with Aman Venice, for example: the hotel occupies certain wings of Palazzo Papadopoli, while the rest remains the residence of Count Giberto Arrivabene Valenti Gonzaga and his family).
“The Postman Cheval”. Mixed-media work (namely collage with oil, watercolor, graphite, ink, chromolithography, and fabric on paper) by Max Ernst, exhibited at the Peggy Guggenheim Collection.
Among the most famous spots for art lovers in Venice, the Guggenheim Museum is housed in a Grand Canal palazzo (Venier dei Leoni), which was also her home for thirty years. The museum exhibits works that even bear her name, such as Alexander Calder’s “Earrings for Peggy Guggenheim” (ca. 1938).
The Fortuny Museum is one of the most “Venetian” museums. It is housed in the home-studio where the renowned designer, Mariano Fortuny (1871-1949), together with his partner, Henriette Negrin (1877-1965), created their empire. Fortuny was deeply influenced by Greek excavations and the findings from major archaeological sites in Greece. One of his most famous dresses is the Delphos, inspired by the Charioteer of Delphi, which is now considered a collectible work of art.
The Fortunys managed to leave an indelible mark on 20th-century European fashion. They made their own fabrics, designed haute couture pieces, and staged theatrical fashion shows where the models were asked to act more as performers, showcasing the garments through dance movements. The two of them assimilated into their work a Venice of beauty, inspiration, visual harmony, introversion, and secrets (their refusal to reveal their fabric-processing techniques is considered monumental). Today, the brand belongs to the Riad family and is considered the last active fabric mill in Venice.

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