Italian artist Lorenzo Quinn sends a wake-up call, on the approaching dangers of global warming, in a most creative way. The artist, who is known to incorporate parts of the human body in his artwork, has created a giant sculpture of two hands emerging from a Venice canal and supporting the Ca’ Sagredo Hotel building. The extraordinary installation has been set for the 2017 Venice Art Biennale, and it is currently on show.
Photo by write_marina
The sculpture, titled “Support”, highlights the possibly nearing catastrophe, and especially for cities like Venice. It, also, depicts the role humans should play to overcome it and to support their heritage. The installation simply elucidates the fragile status of the built environment between both human and natural forces. “Venice is a floating art city that has inspired cultures for centuries, but to continue to do so it needs the support of our generation and future ones because it is threatened by climate change and time decay,” said Lorenzo Quinn to the Halcyon Gallery.
COURTESY OF MARINA GARCIA-VASQUEZ
“Support” was sculpted in an off-site studio and transported, in pieces, to its display location via canal boats. There, it got assembled and installed. On why Quinn has particularly chosen the “hands” to send his message, he said: “I wanted to sculpt what is considered the hardest and most technically challenging part of the human body. The handholds so much power – the power to love, to hate, to create, to destroy.” The installation has been on display for two days now, and it will remain in place for 6 months, till 26 November 2017.
Yosra is an architect, writer, and teacher. She is always into learning something new. Her life motto is: "A jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one.” One day she will travel the world and visit its architectural wonders. In the meanwhile, she contends herself with reading and writing about them.