Exhibition Review: ANIMA MUNDI 2022 – CONSCIOUSNESS
ITSLIQUID International Art Fair
Venice | May 12/13 – June 03, 2022
Palazzo Albrizzi-Capello | Palazzo Bembo – Venice Grand Canal

ITSLIQUID Group, in collaboration with ACIT Venice – Italian-German Cultural Association and EGO’ Boutique Hotel, is proud to share the great success of the opening events of CONSCIOUSNESS, second appointment of ANIMA MUNDI 2022, hosted in Venice, at Palazzo Albrizzi-Capello from May 12 to June 03, 2022, and at Palazzo Bembo – Venice Grand Canal from May 13 to June 03, 2022, during the 59th Venice Biennale of Art, that counted the huge participation of 120 artists from more than 30 different countries worldwide.

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The festival focuses on the concept of ANIMA MUNDI, which according to several historical cultures, religions and philosophical systems, is an intrinsic connection between all living entities on the planet, which relates to the world in a similar way as the human soul is connected to the human body.

ANIMA MUNDI is the invisible energy behind all the natural and artificial elements that allow the planet to live. Thanks to the hidden connections of ANIMA MUNDI, all the ecosystems of the Earth, before and after the appearance of mankind, found their equilibrium, their ways to live and develop themselves, to transform and evolve. All the beings of the planet, plants, minerals, and animals are permeated by a secret force that has always stimulated human thought and research.

On the opening day at Palazzo Albrizzi-Capello, on May 12, more than 20 artists came in person from different parts of the world to attend the event and visit our location. They delighted us in the morning with some video presentations in which they told us more about their work. Daphna Dishi from Israel, for example, explained the fundamental self component within her three exhibited paintings, which represent reflections of contrasted emotional states and a self-consciousness that has been very important to her. Federica Castoldi explored the ‘Conscious universe’ by analyzing the homonymous Yung’s theory, and by layering lots of symbolic images in her threedimensional mixed media collage work. She wanted the viewers to become familiar with the multiple influences and layers inside each one’s life and experience. Maaax presented to us his series of four paintings which seem a reference to our most primitive way of being through the tribal style of the figures depicted. The VORTEX artistic duo, formed by Christiaan Diedericks and Shui-Lyn White, came from South Africa to raise its voice against black people’s secular oppression and to promote consciousness of fundamental human rights. “Slavery, colonialism and eventually Apartheid in our country South Africa,” said Shui-Lyn White during her live presentation, “dehumanized, oppressed, excluded, and silenced millions of people for centuries. By installing our artworks in a Palazzo – and not just in a ‘white cube’ gallery – we aim to restore the dignity of the oppressed in South Africa. By exhibiting these people of color in a Palazzo, we are saying that they are our equals, not lesser beings!”.

A.E. Ted Aub and Ivo Zibulla as well, with their works, brought a bit of other cultures into our exhibition. A.E. Ted Aub, Art and Architecture professor in New York and internationally recognized sculptor, with his “MueS euM” bronze piece showed his tendency of dealing with dualities and with the theme of circularity, the Oriental tradition’s concept of Yin and Yang. Some of his pieces, in fact, are designed to physically rock or roll in place, implying a circular movement for these otherwise static forms; even the titles reflect circularity in their wordplay usage of palindrome, as we can easily see here at Palazzo Albrizzi-Capello. Also Ivo Zibulla‘s acrylics and gold leaf paintings, from the “Homologies” series, somehow recall to Oriental imaginary. The compositions oscillate between archetypical ornament, futuristic calligraphy, geometrical construction pattern or randomized low-fi pixel structure.

Vincenzo Laera, an Italian photographer living and working in Berlin for many years, has his photographic diptych in the exhibition at Palazzo Albrizzi-Capello. He took inspiration from a well-known painting by Michelangelo, “The temptation of St. Anthony”, and tried to reimagine it from a different point of view. The artist replaced the old figure of Saint Anthony with young, strong and alluring men’s images projected over the old masterpiece. He wanted to highlight that you don’t need to have lots of life experience in order to overcome life’s temptations. Marcelo C. Ferreira‘s gold and silver sculpture are inspired by the most famous religious icon of Jesus Christ, but the aim of this work is to make Jesus look like any man. This piece took 3 years to be done, entirely made by hand by the jeweller and sculptor Marcelo C. Ferreira, and it really emanates life from its eyes. For Ravi Alisha, an Italian artist, art is a metamorphosis. Colors speak and communicate on an unconscious, psycho-physiological and empathic level; they are a bridge and an elaboration of emotions. These are the words of emotional illiteracy and her abstract canvases are circular flows of energies. For the ancient Greeks, consciousness was mental energy that synergistically binds us to the surrounding world: it is what Piotr Nalewajka wanted to show with its photo work entitled “Vertigo”, which is a symbolic record of the delight of the fragile consciousness over the intricate residuum of cosmic meanings.

Helena Pellicier Ortiz and Amanda Valle as well participated with interesting abstract artworks. Helena Pellicier Ortiz‘artistic research consists of creating new spaces and elements from the reinterpretation of reality and its multiple views. To do this, she makes use of all the possibilities that photography offers to her. Amanda Valle, a multidisciplinary artist from Santo Domingo, presented her latest work – the short film “Back in the island” – along with two huge paintings that represent the imaginary outer world that colorfully lives in the artist’s mind. Even the canvas diptych by Astrid Langer is full of colors. It depicts a jungle scene where animals and vegetation stand out from and blend with the background, and it speaks about Astrid’s big passion for travel and wild nature. Last but not least, Francesca Cercenà took an entire wall with her 5 mixed media materic works made from leftover luxury fabrics, stencils and collages inspired by Venice, its landscapes and the traditional gondolas.

On May 13, the CONSCIOUSNESS exhibition opened at Palazzo Bembo on the Grand Canal presenting to the public many other artists from all over the world. In the first salon, at the entrance of the Palazzo, the large-scale triptych from the “Water canvases” series of Violaine Vieillefond welcomed the visitors. It is a homage to Claude Monet, who was a lover of Venice’s elusive canals and reflections, and it is also a tribute to the beauty, importance, and fragility of the element water. Aristea Panagiotakopoulou had a live interview with Director Luca Curci in which she talked about her multi-disciplinary art approach born from her long-term employment in the Petroleum Industry, which has given to her the opportunity to expand her perspective and cultures. Marian Otero‘s digital photographs consist of flowers submerged in water and impregnated with smoke imitating liquids. Through the use of an invisible thread that connects the characteristics of our soul with nature, the artist portrayed the immaterial and spiritual aspects that unite us all, creating an embodiment of the unseen. Sine von Schonen participated with 8 mixed media assemblages on canvas that resemble vividly colored mosaics made of everyday simple objects, and so she creates a kind of everyday life diary. The multiple exposure pictures by Gabriele Rothweiler show different perspectives and points of view of the usual street photography; for him, even a single photo can mean a thousand words through its significance layers. Shirley Dombrowski/Parish, a painter from the USA, introduced us to her artworks, which are perceptions of experience, a kind of visual poetry. As with the impressionists and expressionists, she can feel the lights and emotions through the paint and brush movements: her paintings exude the feeling of the air around her, her awareness of the movement in the sky and in the water in which it reflects. The landscape’s atmosphere creates a pattern that follows the soul’s pattern.

At Palazzo Bembo, we also had the pleasure to present the solo exhibition of Cecile Lobert, entitled “Bare consciousness”, perfectly in line with our main theme. Born in Brussels in 1992, Cecile Lobert is a neurodiverse, non-verbal visual abstract expressionist who addresses consciousness in its raw form. Her compositions traverse the chasm wrought by the void of language and social instruction. In her abstract, expressive and communicative canvases, Cecile dissects reality as we see it, to offer a version of consciousness free from set norms, perceptions and prejudices. Her paintings are expressionist reactions to everyday, existential experiences, and they document the silent and persistent dialogue between Lobert’s internal soul and the external stimuli of her physical and emotional environments resulting in a raw and unfiltered glimpse at consciousness lain completely bare.

As always, during CONSCIOUSNESS we hosted also live performances during both the opening events at Palazzo Albrizzi-Capello and at Palazzo Bembo. Among them, Amelia Sampaio with her “Suppliques” performance asked the public about the consciousness of the Other, about otherness and the relationship between her freedom and that of the other people. Then, BSP amazed the audience with her live painting piece. Being a singer and a painter, she used her chromesthesia – a type of synesthesia where sound involuntarily evokes the experience of seeing colors – to intertwine both her worlds in a way that is wholly original. It’s like her works have transcended the visual dimension and have developed their own auditory language. “The Blending of Senses” performance is currently touring around Europe, being hosted in some of the greatest museums and art locations. A rich video screening program also deserves to be mentioned, that entertains our visitors with video works projected on shared TV monitors and dedicated screens in both the venues.

organized by ITSLIQUID Group
curator Luca Curci
in collaboration with EGO’ Boutique Hotel, ACIT Venice – Italian-German Cultural Association
project manager Giulia Tassi
project coordinators Amaride Ferrante, Veronica Piras, Giulia Spagnuolo
collaborators Elisabetta Eliotropio, Ilaria Falchetti, Maddalena Masotto, Giulia Morroni
graphic designer Marina Caracciolo
supported by Artland Milano | Galerie Molin Corvo | Sasha Assaul Design | Trinity Church Wall Street

VENUES
Palazzo Albrizzi-Capello
Associazione Culturale Italo-Tedesca (ACIT)
Cannaregio 4118, Venezia, Italy
May 13 – June 03, 2022
09:30AM – 05:30PM | Monday – Friday

Palazzo Bembo – Venice Grand Canal
First floor
Riva del Carbon, 4793 – 4785, Venice, Italy
May 16 – June 03, 2022
09:30AM – 05:30PM | Monday – Friday

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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, media partnerships 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, 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, 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.

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OUR LOCATIONS

Palazzo Albrizzi-Capello is one of the most known palaces of the Renaissance in Venice. It is a historical building dated 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 enrich 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, 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 held some festivals and exhibitions in Palazzo Albrizzi-Capello, as MORPHOS Festival and FUTURE IDENTITIES Festival, both in 2014.

Palazzo Bembo, located in the historic district of San Marco, the heart of Venice, is available to host solo shows and group exhibitions of the most talented emerging and established artists, designers, and architects selected by our professional team among the numerous show participation requests.

Palazzo Bembo is one of the late Gothic Venetian buildings built in the right middle of the famous Canal Grande, a few meters from the renowned Rialto Bridge. Its name comes from the humanist and literary cardinal Pietro Bembo, known for the so-called “linguistic question” during the Italian XV century.

The facade of the building, with all its gothic pentafore, is as fascinating as the interior which is divided into three floors and characterized by large salons. The seventeenth-century staircase overlooks the internal courtyard that leads to the noble floor, where decorations are dating back to the same century, in Baroque style. The exhibition space, on the first floor, overlooks the Canal Grande and the Rialto Bridge, giving a suggestive view both day and night.