EXHIBITION REVIEW
CONTEMPORARY VENICE – 15TH EDITION
Palazzo Albrizzi-Capello, Venice | July 04 – 19, 2024
Palazzo Pisani-Revedin, Venice | July 09 – 21, 2024

ITSLIQUID Group, in collaboration with ACIT Venice – Italian-German Cultural Association, is pleased to announce the great success of the 15th Edition of CONTEMPORARY VENICE, which took place in Venice, at Palazzo Albrizzi-Capello from July 04 to July 19, 2024 and at Palazzo Pisani-Revedin from July 09 to 21, 2024.

Click here to read more about the press release
Click here to see the photo full reportage

The 15th edition of CONTEMPORARY VENICE analyzed the relationship between body and space, and the hybridization between identities and cultural/physical/social/urban settings in contemporary times, through two main sections: MIXING IDENTITIES and FUTURE LANDSCAPES.

MIXING IDENTITIES analyzes the hidden parts of our identities, through an immersive experience inside the fascinating universe of the complex labyrinths of our consciousness. The human body is a changing system that connects us with other bodies and spaces to perceive the surrounding reality; a strong communication system with its language and infinite ways of expression.

FUTURE LANDSCAPES are abstract, infinite and conceptual, associated with a sense of freedom and infinite extension. Primarily experienced with the mind, spaces redefine their limits and borders, transforming surfaces into an open flow of pure ideas. This section focuses on the concept of the borders and the structures between body, mind and soul, the human identity and the city, the space and the ground.

The 15th edition of CONTEMPORARY VENICE at Palazzo Albrizzi-Capello and at Palazzo Pisani-Revedin has once again proven to be a dynamic hub for artists to engage with the timeless beauty of Venice while exploring contemporary themes. Through their varied mediums and styles, the artists collectively contributed to a deeper understanding of our evolving identities and the landscapes we inhabit, both physical and metaphysical.

MIXING IDENTITIES navigated the depths of our consciousness: among the artists involved, the Brazilian painter Camila Noris brought her diverse heritage and background in biology and cake design to her spontaneous art. Her piece “Muddy Waters,” created with acrylics and mixed media, evokes the dynamic flow of life and nature, inviting viewers to pause and find comfort in its fluidity and powerful movement. In a similar way, drawing on ancient wisdom from alchemy, sacred geometry, and astrology, the art of Anna Kürtös emphasized the interconnectedness of all beings and the importance of preserving indigenous cultures as caretakers of the Earth. She presented as an artist who sees her creative process as a journey of self-discovery intertwined with the broader purpose of humanity.

The event was further enriched by the contributions of video artists, suche as the narrative film “THE INSTAR,” a collaboration between Gabriele Avantaggiato, Giampaolo Caione, Sofia Chironi, Marco De Santis, Giuseppe Pesare, Valentina Rizzo, and Claudia Stapan, where the protagonist William Kovats navigates his subconscious with the aid of a technologically advanced AI machine. This film explores themes of memory, identity, and the interplay between human consciousness and artificial intelligence, portraying technology as a catalyst for uncovering deeply buried truths and facilitating personal growth.

The show also provided a platform to engage with the topic of FUTURE LANDSCAPES: in this abstract and conceptual space that redefine limits and borders, transforming surfaces into an open flow of pure ideas, Gemma Winter Rose, brought her half-Indian heritage into her vibrant works. Using both oil and acrylic paints, her pieces range from animals to abstract shapes to sultry models, all bursting with emotion, life, and color. Her use of mesmerizing and explosive shades combinations captures the essence of the exhibition theme. Desislava Staykova-Learn‘s signature approach to architectural abstraction was showcased in her works that tease impactful imagery out of real-life situations. Her pieces, often presented in diptychs or triptychs, like “Caleido,” use perspective, scale, and composition to reveal hidden constructs in our environment, encouraging viewers to question their surroundings and imagine alternate realities.

The opening night at Palazzo Pisani-Revedin, through a compelling fusion between the past and the present, the individual and the universal, acted as a perfect backdrop for the solo exhibition titled “Between Colors” by the Poland artist Claudia Kaka, and curated by Luca Curci. The artist captured the essence of femininity across cultures: her portraits combined black-and-white figures with vibrant, multicolored elements, symbolizing the transition from past to present. Her pieces, exemplified this duality, blending monochrome imagery with saturated colors to depict the dynamic interplay of identity.

The 15th edition of CONTEMPORARY VENICE was certianly improved by the diversity of tools and themes pursued by artists: Rita Figus, from Luxembourg used intuitive painting to translate her inner experiences onto canvas. Her abstract acrylic works, often created with her hands, reflected a deeply personal journey that connected the seen and unseen, the conscious and subconscious. Andrew E Zarb, a self-taught photographer, presented works from his series “Plastic Faith/Fate.” His photographs of female figures entrap beneath transparent plastic sheets highlighted the paradox of our reliance on plastic and the environmental destruction it causes: his work used this striking imagery to reflect on the impact of human behavior on nature. Bernhard Rauch from Regensburg showcased large-scale, relief-like abstract paintings. His series, using various materials to create sculptural elements on canvas, invited viewers to engage both visually and tactilely, offering an intense presence that encouraged interaction and immersion.

organized by ITSLIQUID Group
in collaboration with ACIT Venice – Italian-German Cultural Association | GOETHE INSTITUT
curator Luca Curci
project manager Giulia Tassi
project coordinators Giulia Bacianini, Amaride Ferrante
artists coordinators Melis Di Gennaro, Andrea Medin, Seher Muhtar
collaborators Elena Mongardi, Laura Piatti, Annachiara Recchia, Ekaterina Solopova, Valentyn Yatsenko
graphic designers Marina Caracciolo, Rosanna Daddario, Silvia Ruggieri
supported by BIGDUNBAG | EVENTION | NYBYGGET 102 ART GALLERY | THE NINE BRITISH ART

VENUE
Palazzo Albrizzi-Capello
Associazione Culturale Italo-Tedesca (ACIT), Cannaregio 4118, Venice
Opening hours | Monday – Friday . 09.30 AM – 05.30 PM

Palazzo Pisani-Revedin
San Marco, 4013A , 30124 Venice, Italy
Opening hours | Tuesday – Sunday . 10.30 AM – 01.30 PM and 02.30 PM – 06.30 PM

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ABOUT US

ITSLIQUID is a web-based information platform, founded in 2001 by Luca Curci, dedicated to the worldwide distribution of information about calls for entries, exhibitions and events at some of the world’s leading art galleries, museums and foundations selected. ITSLIQUID has already built a readership of more than 250.000 qualified subscribers. Among them architects, designers, artists, collectors, art critics, curators, dealers, and other personalities of the International art, architecture and design world. It provides advertising services, press office services for events and projects, articles and specials published on the website, and media partnership services.

During the last 20 years, ITSLIQUID Group has become a cultural hub between creatives, exhibition spaces and art lovers. Among our international partners, Art Now Fair, Art Vancouver, Design Tokyo, INDEX Qatar, INDEX Saudi, The Big 5 Construct Dubai, The Big 5 Construct Qatar, Photo LA Los Angeles and international magazines like Art Style. ITSLIQUID Group supports some of the most important no-profit organizations, like UNFCCC – United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, SSCS – Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, One Tree Planted, The Ocean CleanUp and Plastic Oceans, with the goal to increase public awareness about environmental issues. Click here to find out more.

ITSLIQUID GROUP includes a section dedicated to the organization of international art events, managing exhibitions of painting, photography, video art, installation and performance; it organizes solo and collective shows, art residencies and international contests. Its object is to use new technologies to globalize the language of art, and to connect artists working in every part of the world.

ITSLIQUID Group manages a variety of art spaces all over the world; among them Palazzo Albrizzi-Capello in Venice and different historical buildings, THE LINE Contemporary Art Space in the London city centre and other different partners worldwide. Since its beginning, the group has organized more than 250 events all around the world, involving more than 5.000 artists, in more than 60 international venues in Italy, the USA, Canada, the UK, Spain, France, etc. Most of the last events have been realized in museums (CCCB – Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona in Spain, NCCA – National Center for Contemporary Arts in Moscow, etc.), galleries and private foundations.

ITSLIQUID is based on fluidity, motion, connection and accessibility. Making things easy to do. Welcome.

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OUR LOCATION

Palazzo Albrizzi-Capello is one of the most known palaces of the Renaissance in Venice. It is a historical building dating back to the 16th century, and it has been owned by several noble Venetian families, as demonstrated by the frescoed ceilings, the artistic stuccos and the fine furniture that enriches its rooms. The Palace welcomes visitors with its beautiful private garden on the ground floor, and then it gathers the guests in its large first-floor salons, in which past and present dialogue together. The restored Old Masters’ frescoes and the contemporary art masterpieces that are periodically shown in the exhibitions hosted here, make Palazzo Albrizzi-Capello the perfect location for the balance between old and new, between ancient environment and contemporary art, architecture and design.

Today the building is managed by ACIT Venice – the Italian-German Cultural Association – which is considered one of the most important intercultural associations in Europe. Thanks to the ACIT unceasing cultural activity, Palazzo Albrizzi-Capello has nowadays frequent collaborations with the Goethe Institute and with other local and international institutions, maintaining its ancient reputation. Because of these relations, it presents a huge program of memorable art exhibitions, conferences, congresses and concerts. Among the last institutional exhibitions, is its participation in the 58th Venice Biennale with the Guatemala pavilion, the Dominican Republic pavilion and the Grenada pavilion. ITSLIQUID Group already had the pleasure to hold some festivals and exhibitions in Palazzo Albrizzi-Capello, such as MORPHOS Festival and FUTURE IDENTITIES Festival, both in 2014.