EXHIBITION REVIEW: BORDERS ART FAIR 2023
ITSLIQUID International Art Fair
Palazzo Albrizzi-Capello
Palazzo Pisani-Revedin
Venice | May 12 – August 08, 2023

ITSLIQUID Group in collaboration with ACIT Venice – Italian-German Cultural Association, is pleased to announce the great success of BORDERS 2023 – ITSLIQUID International Art Fair, from May 12 to August 08, 2023, at Palazzo Albrizzi-Capello and at Palazzo Pisani-Revedin, during the same period of the 18th Venice Biennale of Architecture.

BORDERS 2023, curated by Arch. Luca Curci, has presented a wide variety of artists from more than 60 countries with more than 900 works of painting, photography, installation/sculpture, video art, architecture, design and performance art during its three appointments: HYBRID IDENTITIES (May 12 – May 30, 2023); SECRET SPACES (June 16 – July 07, 2023); FUTURE LANDSCAPES (July 21 – August 08, 2023).

In three months, BORDERS 2023, has been a liquid cultural hub between creatives, exhibition spaces and art lovers, visited by an audience of hundreds of people, artists, curators, art collectors and the art world’s professionals and personalities.

The festival focuses on the concept of “borders”, between the soul and the body, the human being and the urban space, the city and the ground. The festival analyzes the idea of human and urban borders, how people live them and how they are modified in contemporary society. Every human being lives in a world in which the limits and the borders shape their attitudes and behaviours, limiting freedom and creating a sense of alienation. The human being reacts by breaking the limits and finding a new way of life. We imagine a world of “liquid cities”, where differences create new possibilities instead of being social barriers.

Humankind coexists at a distance to stay closer: the new invisible borders are creating new ways of living everyday life, new human connections, and re-thinking common spaces and entire cities. We invite artists, architects and designers to be inspired by this new era, exploring the connection between desires, needs, and fears that bring humankind to change, transform and evolve our inner world.

The first appointment of BORDERS 2023 was HYBRID IDENTITIES, held at Palazzo Albrizzi-Capello from May 12 to May 30, 2023.

Among the participant artists, a relevant contribution was made by the amazing works of Pedja Djaković, who exhibited, through his paintings, a profound mastery of the evocative techniques of literary metaphors, navigating the enigmatic realm of dreams and illusions. His art emanated an emotion-laden fervour that gracefully mixed the realms of neo-Cubism with poetic expressionism, and the spontaneous improvisation characteristic of jazz music. In his creative process, traditional symbolism of colors and forms harmoniously mingled with unfiltered observations of reality, all tempered by its vibrant vitality. Noteworthy was also the artistic talent of Ans Joosten: her sculptural art possesses a captivating ability to metamorphose raw stone into a vibrant tableau teeming with emotions. The application of a glistening golden layer in her exhibited sculptures, serves as a symbolic representation of the shields we fashion around ourselves, like a second skin that safeguards us, unveiling the fissures resulting from the numerous trials and conflicts we cross.

During the same period of HYBRID IDENTITIES, the Venice Architecture Biennale officially opened its 18th edition: on this occasion, ITSLIQUID Group was proud to present its special event Hybrid Futures – Artificial Intelligence and Architecture, a panel discussion dedicated to AI (artificial intelligence) and its impact on contemporary architecture. The meeting was held at Palazzo Albrizzi-Capello on the 19th of May, 2023, and was attended by some of the most remarkable personalities of the contemporary architecture scenario, such as the Canadian Architectural Designer Tim Fu, working at Zaha Hadid Architects. Fu, in recent times, operated on different projects specializing in parametric design and AI research, garnering worldwide recognition with his creations being published globally. The second speaker was Lev Libeskind, Creative Director at Libeskind Studio Design, who provided a distinctive insight into the seamless integration of artificial intelligence within the realm of architecture, demonstrating how AI technology can revolutionize the design and construction processes, optimizing efficiency and emphasizing the importance of balancing technological advancements with a deep understanding of human needs and environmental considerations. Moreover, the talented Turkish architect Ebrar Eke, a former researcher at the prestigious Austrian Institute of Technology, also owner of the AI Architecture company, where she innovates and collaborates on groundbreaking architectural projects that integrate AI technologies, highlighted the transformative impact this technology can have on the design process. By leveraging AI algorithms and cutting-edge computational tools, she showcased how architects can enhance their creativity, optimize efficiency, and navigate complex design challenges.

On the same day, ITSLIQUID proudly presented VENICE EXPERIMENTAL VIDEO AND PERFORMING ART FESTIVAL 2023, a one-night event of video and performance art, that invited performers, dancers, video makers and filmmakers to be inspired by the magical power of Venice, in order to analyze the hidden parts of our identities, through an immersive experience inside the fascinating universe of the complex labyrinths of our consciousness.

The second appointment of BORDERS 2023 was SECRET SPACES. The opening took place on the 16th of June and the exhibition ran until July 07, 2023, at Palazzo Albrizzi-Capello.

The concept of the event, focusing on the complex labyrinths of our consciousness, was examined by the female sculptor Ula Gogol, who embarked on a journey through diverse forms and materials. By employing resin, concrete, fabrics, and bronze, Gogol infused her pieces with a profound sense of dimensionality and intricacy, aiming at contemplation, and encouraging a deep exploration of the human condition. Her sculptures showcased a distinctive identity, characterized by their lack of upper limbs and heads, slightly inclined and hunched, lost in their deformed slender figures to mirror the journey through a spectrum of emotions, capturing an intensely personal expedition. The climax of the event was the breathtaking performance of Hadi MohammadKhani, titled “Birth of Light”, through which the artist masterfully narrated a tale of transformation and emergence, a particular narrative of departing from one’s own self to ultimately reuniting with the essence of one’s being. The enchanting city of Venice, accompanied by the graceful backdrop of Palazzo Albrizzi, provided a mesmerizing environment for deep artistic contemplation. In the realm of Joanna Sarapata‘s artistry, which predominantly revolves around depictions of the female figure, body, posture, pose, and gestures become the vessels for the expression of the mind’s states, concealed desires, and internal conflicts. Her masterful compositions granted viewers a profound glimpse into the emotional landscapes of her subjects, allowing her to encapsulate the intricate layers and enigma inherent in the essence of womanhood. The exhibition was enriched by the participation of the Turkish architect Alya Rahmoun, Senior Design Architect at Tabanlioglu Architects who, exploring and integrating AI into her projects, showed her vision of the architectural future, as well as seeking to use AI to generate efficient, liveable and sustainable post-crisis housing architecture.

The third and last event of BORDERS was FUTURE LANDSCAPES, held at Palazzo Pisani-Revedin from July 20 to August 03, 2023 and at Palazzo Albrizzi-Capello from July 21 to August 08, 2023.

The theme of the festival, focusing on how human creativity and imagination can shape our landscapes, was explored by different artists who admirably shared their artistic talent and perception of the topic. Through the utilization of various brush sizes and angles in her paint application, the Irish artist Emma Carter skillfully crafted an illusion within her artworks, drawing viewers to examine closely the interplay of every mark and line. Emma’s process captured everything in a spontaneous choreography of paint, inviting the audience to ponder the intricate relationship that unfolds between structured forms and the emergence of an entirely novel realm. Through her meticulously crafted installations, which find form in ceramics and marble, Elena L Georgieva extended a compelling invitation: to liberate ourselves from illusions and immerse in authentic reality. Her message reverberated with the notion that every instance immortalized becomes timeless, every element holds significance in the present, and each facet bears an unparalleled uniqueness: within this unfolding, there’s an undeniable charm in apprehending these moments in their pure, unadulterated state-evolving right in the immediate present, unburdened by preconceived ideas or illusory veils.

During the same period of the exhibition, ITSLIQUID Group pridefully curated the solo exhibition of Fant Wenger titled “FREQUENCY“, held at Palazzo Pisani-Revedin, from July 20 until August 03, 2023. The brilliance of Wenger’s creations offered an inspiring suspension that invited the visitors into contemplation and introspection. His colorful and wide canvas took people on a fascinating journey into the mysterious charm of his creations, without providing definitive answers. On the lower floor, the artworks were joined by an intriguing installation created using a group of mannequins seated at desks and connected by electrical cables, which ended at the water entrance of the Palazzo, expressing the deep connection between Wenger and the rest of the world.

Besides the Fant’solo exhibition, the last appointment of BORDERS carried on the exploration of architecture and AI in urban environments, hosting some brilliant personalities from the realm of contemporary architecture. Among them, Marco A. Alfaro‘s research aimed to create symbiotic relationships between the elements involved in a project, as well as the creative design architect Mohamad AbdAllah, whose experience with techniques such as virtual and augmented reality helped him identify potential problems early in the design process, giving a significant contribution to the development of these powerful tools.

Drawing from over two decades of experience and featuring more than 250 international art exhibitions, ITSLIQUID Group takes immense pride in presenting each artist who has played a role in shaping the concept of BORDERS 2023.

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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 THE ROOM Contemporary Art Space in the heart of San Marco Square in Venice and different historical buildings, THE LINE Contemporary Art Space in 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 of holding some festivals and exhibitions in Palazzo Albrizzi-Capello, such as MORPHOS Festival and FUTURE IDENTITIES Festival, both in 2014.