Purple Diary
[June 10 2014]
Genius Loci “Spirit of Place” installations at Palazzo Franchetti, Venice
Presented in Venice by Lisson Gallery on the occasion of the 14th International Architecture Biennale and produced with Berengo Studio is Genius Loci, an exhibition of sculpture and installation that goes beyond the museum or gallery space, addressing instead the complex spheres of the public realm and the built environment. By existing beyond the walls, public art can help defne the character of its location, either functioning harmoniously or in dialogue with the architecture or landscape it inhabits. As experienced commissioners of large-scale contemporary art, curators from the Lisson Gallery, in association with Berengo Studio, are displaying a range of major pieces by 19 artists, both inside and outside the historic Venetian Palazzo Franchetti. The show includes models, sculptures, drawings and projects by Spencer Finch, Anish Kapoor, Ai Weiwei, Daniel Buren, Lawrence Weiner, Shirazeh Houshiary and Lee Ufan, among others, all of whom have made signifcant contributions to art in the public domain through works that challenge, complement or elucidate their surroundings. In turn, these proposals, situations and sculptures – some unrealised, some temporary, some permanent – should allow us to better appreciate, contemplate and understand the world around us. ‘Genius Loci – Spirit of Place,‘ co-produced by Lisson Gallery and Berengo Studio, is on view until November 23rd at Palazzo Franchetti, Venice. Text Lisson Gallery and photo Ken Adlard
