LAUREL
"Every image is formed in movement." This can be considered the mantra of the 2022 edition of the Padiglione Venezia, entitled Alloro, at 59th International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia.
Alloro (TN: Laurel) is a journey that deals with change, metamorphosis, through nature and art, which begins in the psyche, in a clean, almost aseptic, perfect place and ends in the warmth of Mother Earth, a journey that is accomplished in movement. Every single step in this movement is punctuated by the rhythm of music, sounds that are not just a background, but are created as a work.
"The exhibition project of the Venice Pavilion, this year entitled Alloro, has basically three main themes: the approach of man to nature, the strength of woman and the metamorphosis explained by art. Laurel is the quintessential symbol of metamorphosis. - says the curator Giovanna Zabotti - Metamorphosis in all of its meaning: in its sense of transformation of a being into another of a different nature and as a typical element of mythological, religious and magical stories. The innovation of this pavilion lies in the fact that visitors will not just see the artworks but they will “live” them: they will move through the artworks, every single step punctuated by the rhythm of music. A journey that, at first, will make them investigate their inner self, then experience a three-dimension emotional path, and in the end, taste the future-oriented views of young artists."
This "moving exhibition" opens with the artist duo Goldschmied & Chiari, who have created a sort of celebratory temple of femininity. The two rooms are built as a play of light and shadow and represent the threshold of enigmatic worlds between alchemy and magic, called Portals. The center of the path, introduced by the painting "Best Wishes" by Ottorino De Lucchi, is the installation Lympha, the myth of Daphne and Apollo represented in a modern key by the artist Paolo Fantin and the group Ophicina and accompanied by a musical composition, entitled Drops of Laurel, by master Pino Donaggio. The exhibition ends in a small "forest" of laurel, outside the structure.
The third and last room is occupied by the winning works of the Artefici del Nostro Tempo competition. This year's exhibition somehow resembles the City of Venice itself: its windows as portals between past and future and the possibility of moving within it as an experience of perennial change and personal rebirth. Venice as a woman, heritage of every single individual. – declares the mayor Luigi Brugnaro – Attention to the environment and sustainability, the relationship between individuals and what surrounds us has become of fundamental importance, and Venice in this sense is working to become "World Capital of Sustainability". The Pavilion also reflects the City in its being a place of innovation and cultural and technological avant-garde. A wealth of experience and experimentation that we want to make available to the whole world.
A special place in the Pavilion is occupied by the winning works of the third edition of the Concorso Artefici del Nostro Tempo: an initiative created in 2019 by the Mayor, Luigi Brugnaro and promoted by the Municipality of Venice. Over 800 applications were submitted in the seven disciplines in competition through which the young artists interpreted The Milk of Dreams, the general theme of this edition.
"The decision to dedicate a room of the Pavilion to young artists might initially seem a courageous choice – continues the mayor Luigi Brugnaro – but for us young people play a fundamental role and hardly find a space in large events, even if they represent the future. We are pleased to see how our initiative has aroused interest and has been followed in different forms by other institutions".
"The Pavilion will be accessible to a limited number of visitors in order to enjoy a better experience. The shifts will be of about ten minutes and visitors will be welcomed by the students of Ca' Foscari and Iuav Universities. For us the collaboration with the different realities of the city is fundamental – concludes Giovanna Zabotti – because this is by all means the Pavilion of Venice, I thank first of all the mayor Luigi Brugnaro for the trust that he renewed me, I thank the rector Tiziana Lippiello and the rector Benno Albrecht for having understood the cultural value of this project, the Fondazione la Fenice for having supported us in the realization of some works as in the last edition, the partners who believed in Alloro since the first drawings and all the artists and people who work with me every day to make you live an experience that we are convinced will be unforgettable. And let me open a small window to highlight my joy of having with us, for the first time, Pino Donaggio a great Venetian artist who has contributed to enhancing the image of the city in the world thanks to his vast artistic-musical production. I would like to thank him for the enthusiasm with which he accepted the invitation".