Lorenzo Quinn. Anime di Venezia – Souls of Venice

Venice, April 2^nd, 2024: "Souls of Venice – Anime di Venezia" is sculptor Lorenzo Quinn's latest creation, set to be exhibited in Venice from 20^th April to 15^th September 2024, commemorating the 700th anniversary of Marco Polo's death, and coinciding with the 60th Art Biennale.
 
The installation comprises 15 mesh statues, each representing key figures from the history of La Serenissima. These statues reinforce the connection between the city and its artistic heritage, expressed through depictions of the historic Venetians who have helped make the city immortal.
 
The installation will be situated in the Atrium of Ca' Rezzonico, a notable historical building overlooking the Grand Canal and designed by Baldassare Longhena. The Palazzo is home to the Museum of 18th Century Venice.
 
"Souls of Venice – Anime di Venezia" is a significant shift in Quinn's oeuvre. This fresh and iconic installation encapsulates the enduring bond between Venice and Lorenzo, whilst also marking his first venture into merging historical context with a museum's space. Simultaneously, the exhibit merges immersive reality and physical object to introduce a modern and dynamic twist.
 
The project is in collaboration with the Civic Museums Foundation, and is under the patronage of the City of Venice and the Committee for the Celebrations of Marco Polo 700.
MARCO POLO AT THE DOGE’S PALACE

The exhibition will commence on April 6^th with the unveiling of a statue of Marco Polo at the entrance to the Doge's Apartment. This event marks the beginning of the Official Exhibition titled ‘The Worlds of Marco Polo: The Journey of a 13^th century Venetian Merchant,’ and will remain open until 29 September 2024. 
 


THE “SOULS” DI CA’ REZZONICO:
AN ACT OF LOVE FOR VENICE THAT EMBRACES THE WORLD

In addition to the replica of Marco Polo already present at the Doge's Palace, visitors in Ca' Rezzonico will be able to admire the metallic mesh statues depicting Lorenzo Tiepolo, Caterina Corner, Veronica Franco, Elena Lucrezia Corner Piscopia, Carlo Goldoni, Antonio Vivaldi, Marietta Barovier, Elisabetta Caminer Turra, Andrea Palladio, Antonio Canova, Tiziano Vecellio, Rosalba Carriera, Giacomo Casanova and the 'universal' Marco Polo, which is symbolically represented by the figure of the Gondolier. The installation invites everyone to take action and 'save Venice and the whole world'.
 
"Venice, in its entirety – past, present, and future – has inspired this installation, which aims to symbolise my 'journey' into the soul of the city," explains Lorenzo Quinn. “It is a homage to all the 'Souls' that have lived here and will continue to do so for eternity.”
 
"Through artistic expression, individuals strive to articulate their past and present experiences. These statues, portraying notable Venetians, both women and men, stand as testaments to the singular nature of our existence as 'works of art,' crafted by the hands of Mother Earth herself”.

“They serve as poignant reminders that our duty to preserve extends beyond Venice alone; it encompasses the entirety of our planet. 'To save Venice is to save the world’. Venice epitomises freedom, once a bastion of great power and now a symbol of climatic fragility. It is a place where art has been honed over the centuries. Through these statues, this legacy persists, transcending time - from the past to the present day and perhaps beyond, into eternity,” concludes Quinn.

"Lorenzo Quinn’s Ca’ Rezzonico project enriches the lineup of contemporary art exhibitions in the city, merging past and future. It is a tribute to Venice and its historical figures, who come alive in Quinn's interactive works and remind us, in line with the museum’s mission, how culture and historical heritage, as expressed in these collections, remain relevant in the present day," Mariacristina Gribaudi, President of MUVE commented.

"Immortality has long been associated with the soul, never the body. The eternal essence of the soul is being contrasted with the fleeting nature of materiality and this is vividly captured in Lorenzo Quinn's project. These figures, etched in our collective memory, evoke the beauty of recollection, offering a first glimpse into their identities. Yet, this serves merely as the prelude to an extraordinary encounter—a visual journey that will allow us to connect with these characters anew, thanks to Quinn’s use of immersive virtual reality”, Chiara Squarcina, the project’s curator, reflects.

According to Alberto Toso Fei, who leads the artistic direction of the project, "Venice is the epicentre of time. It's where everything that ever was, is, and will be, converges into an uninterrupted 'forever'. The souls featured in this journey—chosen among a myriad of possibilities—are voices that populate every present, because Venice is made up of every aspect of its past. They are men and women who, by fully experiencing it, have reshaped Venice to make it what it is: they have created it, and in recounting their own tales, they tell the story of Venice. Despite the passage of time and the historical transitions witnessed in these spaces, fragments of them endure in Venice, eternally. Together, they define the essence of Venice, the city of cities, with which they are forever linked in a legacy that this work cements."
 
Lorenza Lain, the Project Coordinator, notes: "This installation is designed for the Marco Polo celebrations and crafted specifically for Ca’ Rezzonico, a project Lorenzo has dedicated himself to over the past year. It revolves around two central themes:Venice, the city of cities, from which everything originates— encapsulated by Bruno Tosi's observation: 'Venice is the oldest city of the future'; and Marco Polo, the famed Venetian figure, brought to life through immersive reality. He becomes both the narrator and the lens through which this journey, both physical and spiritual, is experienced. In Lorenzo's imagination, these figures not only 'embody' Venice but also permanently capture its eternal essence. It's an ode to beauty, much like the iconic 'Support' hands he crafted for Ca' Sagredo."
 
Patrizia Zambelli, Architect and Technical Director, emphasises: "Venice encapsulates everything within itself, embodying both the present and the future. It's a journey through the centuries of its rich essence, expressed in art, architecture, music, and theatre—the legacies of its great souls. Venice is the ultimate journey."

 Notes to Editors:

LORENZO QUINN

Lorenzo Quinn, now an internationally acclaimed figurative artist, honed his skills at the American Academy of Fine Arts in New York, where he found his calling in sculpture among all the arts. Born in Rome, Italy, in 1966, he is currently embarking on a new phase of his artistic journey while remaining committed to the themes and causes closest to his heart. These include the preservation and fate of the Lagoon City, a place he deeply cherishes, and the fundamental values of our humanity.
 
His sculptures are distinguished by the strength and immediacy of their message, attributes that define his work. This is particularly apparent in his monumental public artworks, exhibited in prestigious locations worldwide. These pieces have captivated audiences across the globe, often serving charitable and philanthropic purposes.
 
Among his notable installations are those in London's Park Lane, Berkeley Square, and Cadogan Gardens; the courtyard of the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg; Windsor Castle in Berkshire; Casina Valadier in Rome; the Boboli Gardens within the Uffizi Galleries in Florence; and Palazzo Sagredo on Venice's Grand Canal. His works have also been displayed in front of the Church of San Martino in Birmingham, the Cathedral of Palermo, the Paramount Group skyscraper on Avenue of the Americas in New York, and the Museum of Modern Art in Palma de Mallorca. Furthermore, Quinn's sculptures grace the Doha waterfront in Qatar, the rooftop of the Shanghai Museum of Modern Art overlooking the Huangpu River, and, most recently, the base of the Pyramids of Giza.
 
His extraordinary public artworks, as well as his smaller pieces, reflect his passion for timeless values and authentic emotions. Many of his most famous works depict expressive reconstructions of human hands, as Quinn explains: "I aimed to sculpt what is considered the most difficult and technically challenging part of the human body. The hand holds such power: the ability to love, to hate, to create, and to destroy."
 
For the past two decades, Lorenzo Quinn's works have been exhibited all over the globe.
 
His notable works include:
 
·      "Support" (2017), representing the hands of a child emerging from the Grand Canal to uphold Ca' Sagredo, symbolising the city's beauty and vulnerability. Displayed in Venice.
·      "Building Bridges" (2019), featuring six pairs of hands that symbolise the six universally acknowledged values: friendship, wisdom, assistance, faith, hope, and love. Exhibited at the Arsenale in Venice.
·      "Give" (2020), positioned in the Boboli Gardens of the Uffizi in Florence, highlighting the significance of "giving".
·      Among his recent works, "Baby 3.0" (2022) in the Garden of the Metropolitan City, Venice, represents the artist's hope for humanity's rebirth.
·      "Together" (2021), a land art piece initially unveiled in Cannes and later at the "Forever is Now" exhibition in Egypt, marking the first contemporary art event at the Pyramids of Giza, a UNESCO site.
·      "The Greatest Goal" (2022) for the FIFA World Cup in Qatar; "Building Bridges" in Vieste (2023).
·        "Paint your Life" (2024) in Caorle (Venice).
 
 

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