Latest news with #LaSerenissima
Sydney Morning Herald
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
Four biennials to see this northern European summer
The 'biennale' was established in Venice, Italy in the early 1900s. La Serenissima's version is still the most famous, but the biennale (or biennial in English) concept has taken hold internationally in more recent times. Hundreds of these two-yearly contemporary art festivals are now staged in cities from Reykjavik to Sydney. You don't need to be into art and design to find something enriching in these often free events. Biennials might be mostly about visual creativity, but they also offer a sticky beak into some of their city's intriguing spaces. This northern summer sees iterations of four major biennials that prove the point. The 13th Berlin Biennale starts June 14 and runs until September 14, showing new and established artists. The London Design Biennial runs throughout June. In the biennale home, Venice Biennale Architettura 2025 is on and running until the end of November, exploring the world of architecture. In the north of England, the Liverpool Biennial of Contemporary Art touted as Britain's largest of its kind, has just started and runs until the end of September. Many exhibits take over unique and otherwise publicly inaccessible spaces, or even just places you may not have considered putting on a sightseeing itinerary. The London Design Biennale, for instance, is in Somerset House, a conglomeration of historic government buildings in the heart of the city on the Strand, given over to public use and art since the year 2000. The Berlin Biennale is spread across four venues chosen for their stories. Alongside the KW Institute for Contemporary Art (founded in a derelict margarine factory in 1991), venues include Sophiensaele, an independent theatre established in the early 1900s Craftsmen's Association building, once a meeting place for revolutionaries, and Hamburger Bahnhof, a railway terminus turned into a major contemporary art gallery. The Biennale is also debuting a former 1900s courthouse on Lehrter Strasse as a new art space.
The Age
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Age
Four biennials to see this northern European summer
The 'biennale' was established in Venice, Italy in the early 1900s. La Serenissima's version is still the most famous, but the biennale (or biennial in English) concept has taken hold internationally in more recent times. Hundreds of these two-yearly contemporary art festivals are now staged in cities from Reykjavik to Sydney. You don't need to be into art and design to find something enriching in these often free events. Biennials might be mostly about visual creativity, but they also offer a sticky beak into some of their city's intriguing spaces. This northern summer sees iterations of four major biennials that prove the point. The 13th Berlin Biennale starts June 14 and runs until September 14, showing new and established artists. The London Design Biennial runs throughout June. In the biennale home, Venice Biennale Architettura 2025 is on and running until the end of November, exploring the world of architecture. In the north of England, the Liverpool Biennial of Contemporary Art touted as Britain's largest of its kind, has just started and runs until the end of September. Many exhibits take over unique and otherwise publicly inaccessible spaces, or even just places you may not have considered putting on a sightseeing itinerary. The London Design Biennale, for instance, is in Somerset House, a conglomeration of historic government buildings in the heart of the city on the Strand, given over to public use and art since the year 2000. The Berlin Biennale is spread across four venues chosen for their stories. Alongside the KW Institute for Contemporary Art (founded in a derelict margarine factory in 1991), venues include Sophiensaele, an independent theatre established in the early 1900s Craftsmen's Association building, once a meeting place for revolutionaries, and Hamburger Bahnhof, a railway terminus turned into a major contemporary art gallery. The Biennale is also debuting a former 1900s courthouse on Lehrter Strasse as a new art space.
Scroll.in
02-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Scroll.in
‘Flow love flow flawlessly': Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o's poetry contemplates truth and justice in Venice
'Not an obituary. We cannot write an obituary about an 'idea' that illuminated so many generations transcending geopolitical borders,' as my friend and journalist Pooja Mitra so eloquently puts it. Celebrating instead his love for truth and justice and generosity by sharing a suite of his Venice poems with my photographs of Venice. The photographs do not in anyway interpret the poems. Nor were the poems written for the photographs! At different moments in time both. The only common factor was his 'choosing to like' the nocturnal ones from a host of many. From: ngugi@ To: Naveen Kishore Sat, 24 Aug, 2019 at 12:47 pm Dear Naveen And yes, please let us share our take on Venice! The camera and the pen on Venice!!! Best Ngugi The thing about cities like Venice is their singularity. Nothing quite like it exists. Night-time Venice empties itself of people. And becomes shadow. Unlike other 'nights' in 'other' cities there is a resigned melancholy to these shadows. Not furtive. Or filled with the 'scurry-home' that accompanies fear. Just a combination of light and shade that causes these shadows into being. Almost a nightly re-birth. For the day-time brings bustle. And the Babel of languages carried by each individual traveller-tourist. The night is safe in the absence of sound. Unless you listen to the sound of your own feet returning home. — Naveen Kishore. From: ngugi@ To: Naveen Kishore Wed, 21 Oct, 2020 at 11:28 pm Dear Naveen Your mind and soul churn out image after image. There is one engine that has no arrival, It steams image after image, like you. Art is a journey without an end, because Because it continues its self-resurrection Into new selves Look at the guy called Shakespeare Still talking to us Or the unknown numerous others Like them that authored Mahabharata Art knows not death. Art contains arrival and departure. Venice, Italy Home to churches pigeons gondolas and boats on waterways San Marco to Salute I never have seen so many shrines of worship in one city Inside the boats, tourists press against one another or Push and shove on bridges linking the islands that make Venice. Enter a restaurant or Any shop selling all manner of wares and masks Cacophonous tongues of the globe accost you They're from Asia, Africa, Europe to the Americas. Though Venice is Italyland It's the outnumbered Italian that sounds foreign. With eager eyes and smartphones Tourists run about capturing images: They take them home to tell titillating tales of La Serenissima and Wondrous paintings and sculptures decorating Venetian palaces La Serenissima Venice Venice Venice You have stolen hearts of writers from many lands Which have given birth to great literature. Shakespeare penned The Merchant of Venice and The tale of Othello, the black hero of ancient Venice. Thomas Mann, the German, dreamt up Death in Venice. From Goethe, Henry James to Italo Calvino they've told stories. So I, Ngũgĩ, will also weave one or two in Gĩkũyũ To remind the world that the African sweat also built Venice The way it did other European cities: Amsterdam Copenhagen London Lisbon Madrid Paris Stockholm Venice Venice Venice three times I call you to make sure you hear: Your serenity might lull one into forgetting It hides a history of the blood you once enslaved. Quick Judgment In a restaurant near my place in Campo San Samuele I told them I wanted their specialty, so that On returning home to Africa I would sing gloria to the taste of Italian food. They brought me fish and spaghetti with black ink all over it. What kind of people are these? They flood my food with black ink just because I am black? I walked back to Campo San Samuele angry and hungry. Another day my guide Lucio De Capitani took me to Trattoria da Jonny. I ordered lamb and hastened to tell them not to add anything to the meal. Lucio de Capitani asked for the dish he loved most. They brought him fish and spaghetti flooded with black ink. This is the most beloved dish in Venice, he told me, and The black ink is what we love most. It is not pen ink; It is a black liquid squeezed out of a squid. Bridges of Locked Love Venice is home to hundreds of islands Linked by numerous bridges. Rialto Bridge; Bridge of Sighs; Academy ; and The Devil's Bridge all have stories to tell. Brides and Bridegrooms come from far and wide China, Japan or Korea; They exchange rings and take selfies at their favourite bridge. Lovers descend from all corners of the globe, Pour their love and vows into a padlock, They hang the locks on the bridge and throw the key into the river So their love will remain locked together forever. The bridges hang low under the weight of locked love. But the one I recall more clearly is the Bridge of Sighs: It links Doge's Palace and the New Prison on Piazza San Marco. The wealthy stand on the bridge and sigh with satisfaction The victims of wealth stand on the bridge and sigh with sorrow. Ponte del Diavolo, Venice Legend has it that once, With Venice and Vienna at War, A daughter of Venice and A son of Vienna, a soldier, Felt their hearts rebel against war. They decided to cross the valley of hate, and Swim in the warm waters of love. The family side of the daughter killed the soldier. The girl was left with a bleeding heart. A Healer took her to the devil Who brought back her man to life, but The Devil demanded his fee: On the night before Christmas, The healer was to bring him, at the bridge, souls of the recent dead. Death came for the Healer too soon. When the Devil went to the bridge he did not get his due. Every year when that day comes a cat prowls the bridge, but It is the devil disguised as a cat Waiting for the healer to bring him souls of the recent dead. All he hears are the murmurings of the flowing waters: Flow flawless love flow. Love makes the soul soar Hate makes the soul sink Flow love flow flawlessly Spread One love to all the earth You Devil Go away. Let love to rule the world. Moulaye Niang, Venice I met Moulaye in his factory at Salizadar Del Pignater Burning Murano glass with flaming gas. He made beads; he made necklaces; he made earrings. As he moulded different shapes, he composed lullabies A soul on fire whispering soul into the soul of fire. He reminded me of Prometheus Who once stole fire, for the humans, From the seat of the Gods above. The fire Gave humans the light and the power of making things. This Prometheus is Othello's country man. He comes from Senegal, West Africa. He changes Murano glass into marvels of colorful shapes. This Senegalese glass artist also sings. The light and sounds of Africa are everywhere. Resurrection in Venice I met Othello in Venice but Not the one from Shakespeare Who worked for them Fought their wars Crushed their enemies In defence of Venice. He let Iago's lies Born of racism Get under his skin into his heart and head. He snuffed the life of Desdemona his love And then took his own, Freeing his soul to follow his love. I met Othello in Venice but Not the one painted by Vittore Capaccio Piloting the Venetian gondolas Gliding along their waterways The many canals small and wide On all sides of the Grand Canal. The affluent of Venice felt so good about the ride Which took them to Piazza del Marco and back Feeding their eyes on the architectural wonders Renaissance and Gothic Palaces lined on either side. I met Othello in Venice but Not the one in Bellini's Miracle of the Cross Thrown into the river below the Bridge of To retrieve the remnant of the True Cross. Desperately he fights the waves in order not to drown. The lady of the house looks on from the window above in delight. I met Othello in Venice but Not the one in the ten sculptures That line the walls of Ca'Rezzonico Rented by Ca'Foscari University of Venice for our banquet, Chains still around the slaves' legs and necks. I ask: Are these sculptures here to celebrate slavery or To remind people that What they now eat and drink are fruits of those Once snatched from the mouth of hungry and thirsty slaves? I met Othello in Venice but Not the one painted on the floor of the entrance into Moresco Hotel, On Fondamenta del Passamonte between Rio Nuovo and Rialto Bridge, Near the Peggy Guggenheim Arts Museum. As guests enter, they step on the painting, And deposit the dust and mud from their shoes. No, not this or that Othello. The Othello I met is named Peter Kariũki. Ten years old and black, He organises other boys to play his version of basketball. At Campo de le Gate They bounce balls on the floor and shoot into the basket. He ensures they follow the rules and work in harmony. His bright eyes light up as if They can see into tomorrow and the days after: My mother and father are black and come from Limuru, Kenya They gave me life born of love; My mother and father are white and come from Venice, Italy They gave me life born of love. I was born in Limuru I grew up in Venice In me Kenya and Italy are conjoined. They call me Peter Kariũki The one who resurrects understanding among peoples No matter the color of their skin or The land of their origins and migrations. Courtesy Naveen Kishore, publisher, Seagull Books. All photographs by Naveen Kishore.
Hospitality Net
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hospitality Net
Hotel Cipriani, a Belmond Hotel, Venice Perpetuates Its Legendary Legacy with Peter Marino
Hotel Cipriani: few names have evoked such a sense of timeless glamour, cinematic allure and elegance, in Venice and beyond. Today, Belmond is delighted to introduce the vision of famed architect and interior designer Peter Marino, entrusted to perpetuate the cultural significance and incomparable legacy of this enchanting Venetian icon. The multi phase renovation will honour Hotel Cipriani, A Belmond Hotel, Venice's deep-rooted connection to arts and culture and its emblematic role in La Serenissima's modern history, further cementing its place as a one-of-a-kind experience in one of the world's most captivating cities. The first phase of this reimagination will be unveiled on 27 May 2025. A WORLD APART: THE GLAMOROUS CULTURAL HAVEN OF VENICE Set on the tranquil tip of Giudecca Island facing St Mark's Square, Hotel Cipriani enjoys an unrivalled location with 270-degree panoramic views over the Venetian Lagoon. Here, amidst verdant gardens and a magnificent saltwater pool, this legendary hotel offers an oasis of serenity, moments from the heart of Venice. Whilst capturing the slow pace of 'La Serenissima', Hotel Cipriani has cultivated its identity amidst the vibrant pulse of Venice's cultural scene, enlivened by prestigious arts and cinema festivals. A favourite destination for creative minds, discerning tastemakers and contemporary jetsetters, Hotel Cipriani is revered for its captivating blend of privacy and celebration. Venice has long stood at the crossroads of cultures, from the ancient Silk Road to the vibrant Biennales and Mostra of today. This enduring cultural eclecticism, dialogue of eras, and wealth of craftsmanship has been woven into the fabric of Hotel Cipriani's design and decor. AN IMMERSIVE JOURNEY OF THREE ERAS Peter Marino will reimagine the aesthetic experience of Hotel Cipriani, preserving its sophisticated allure, while reinterpreting its fabled Dolce Vita spirit. Through the architect's curation and design, Marino reinforces the hotel's cultural significance, celebrating the artistic influences that have shaped its personality. Peter Marino's design is founded upon the following three artistic eras: References to Old Venice convey the city's magnificence and historical charm. As Chairman of Venetian Heritage Foundation, Marino's understanding of Venice embraces its mystery and grandeur. Venetian refinement is expressed through architectural details, local savoir faire and a curated selection of collectible objets d'art. The late Fifties and Sixties when the Hotel Cipriani opened, fusing cultural entertainment and modern Dolce Vita lifestyle, are revived through a knowledgeable selection of artworks that echo the dynamic spirit of the mid-century Biennales. Finally, Contemporary Art and Design will capture the spirit of our time, breathing new life into the modern relevance that has long characterized Hotel Cipriani. Art will infuse the hotel with contemporary creativity. A home for the inspired art collector, Hotel Cipriani will perpetuate its legacy as a beacon of artistic sophistication. FIRST REVEAL In May, Hotel Cipriani, A Belmond Hotel, Venice will re-open for the 2025 season. Mr. Marino has left the beloved lobby for its charm and coziness, which has endeared the hearts of clientele since the hotel's inception. In addition, Marino will present a totally new and adjacent arrival experience with a light-filled double-height lobby and the refined redesign of 13 rooms, marking the first phase of the renovation. The rooms include two master suites each designed as a Venetian apartment, complete with a dining room, library and salon - Serenissima and Laguna, with expansive views over the lagoon; and 11 enchanting Suites and Junior Suites with private balconies overlooking the Casanova Gardens. Reservations are open at: [email protected] or by calling +39 0185 2353 451 Hotel website
