Marriage of the Sea! – a new artwork in Venice!
Austin Young / Fallen Fruit
Marriage of the Sea (the rape of Venice) / Sposalizio del Mare (il ratto di Venezia)
April 18 – June 30 2024
Presented by THE POOL NYC at historic Palazzo Cesari Marchesi, Venice, Italy
Opening: April 18, from 5 pm to 10 pm
Opening performance: 6 pm to 8 pm with Irene Machetti
Sketch for Sposalizio del Mare (il ratto di Venezia)’, by Austin Young / Fallen Fruit. (in progress) digital collage printed on watercolor paper, 2024. Image courtesy of the artist.
THE POOL NYC presents Marriage of the Sea (the rape of Venice), a new artwork by Austin Young / Fallen Fruit at Palazzo Cesari Marchesi.
‘Marriage of the Sea (The Rape of Venice)’ weaves a visual and conceptual narrative about the ancestral bond between La Serenissima and the Adriatic Sea. The exhibition will consist of a new large-scale artwork created for Venice and printed onto fabric wall covering and sheer curtains. “As an artist, I attempt to change the way you feel upon entering a room, aiming to share my perceptions through a sublime, aesthetic experience.” says Young.
The artwork is a celebration of the lagoon, comprising a kaleidoscopic portrait of Venice, a collage of the artist’s original photographs and images found in archives during visits to the city’s museums, churches and palazzos A participatory project is programmed at the opening of the exhibition with artist Irene Machetti where everyone is invited to marry the sea, challenging visitors to rethink the idea of dominion over the sea.
Title: Marriage of the Sea (the rape of Venice) / Sposalizio del Mare (il ratto di Venezia)
Artist: Austin Young / Fallen Fruit
Opening: April 18 from 5 to 10 p.m.
Opening performance: 6pm to 8pm visitors will mary the sea in a ceremony with artist Irene Machetti.
Where: THE POOL NYC at PALAZZO CESARI MARCHESI
Calle Rombiasio 2539, Campo Santa Maria del Giglio, 30124 Venice
Vaporetto: Giglio
Hours: 11am- 1pm/ 2- 7 pm – Closed on Tuesdays
Technical sponsor: PROMEMORIA
Technical sponsor for the opening: Franco Profumiere Venezia.
Detail of Sposalizio del Mare (il ratto di Venezia)’, by Austin Young of Fallen Fruit. dimensions variable, 2024. Image courtesy of the artist.
In the artist’s own words, “For hundreds of years on Ascension Day, a sacrifice was made. A glorious golden ring was thrown into the water that affirmed Venice’s dominion over the Adriatic Sea. The magic of this divine sacrifice was so powerful that it lasted centuries. Amid a dwindling population, the fouling of her canals, increasingly encroaching tides, and the loss of community through short term rentals, it is time to re-invoke this ancient vow: ‘Desponsamus te, mare, in signum veri perpetuique dominii!’ We marry you, sea, as a symbol of true and perpetual dominion!”
Detail of Sposalizio del Mare (il ratto di Venezia)’, by Austin Young of Fallen Fruit. dimensions variable, 2024. Image courtesy of the artist
Viola Romoli and Luigi Franchin directors of THE POOL NYC add“This sublime and immersive artwork depicts an allegorical image of Venice that has been seduced by tourism, sacrificing its cultural capital and the environment for greed. A profound exploration of beauty, identity and social norms permeates the artist’s work, giving it a depth and relevance that resonates with audiences around the world.”
Join artist Austin Young and THE POOL NYC for the opening night event on April 18, where visitors will marry the sea in a ceremony with artist Irene Machetti.
ABOUT AUSTIN YOUNG / FALLEN FRUIT
Austin Young is a multidisciplinary artist whose trademark style interprets a nuanced visual language of beauty, pop culture, art history, folk art, and transgressive underground exuberance. Whether he’s working in photography and video-based modes of performative portraiture, engaging in assertive visibility for Queer culture, or advocating for a community-based resource sharing culture, Young’s interest is in illustrating the sublime qualities of humanity that moves us all forward.
Fallen Fruit is an art collaboration originally conceived in 2004 by David Burns, Matias Viegener and Austin Young. Since 2013, David and Austin have continued the collaborative work. Much of the work they create is linked to ideas of place and generational knowledge, and it echoes a sense of connectedness with something very primal – our capacity to share the world with others. Recent permanent artworks and museum exhibitions include Chiotro del Bramante in Rome, Accademia Carrara in Bergamo, Orto Botanico in Palermo, V&A in London, LACMA in Los Angeles, Manifesta 12 in Palermo, NGV Triennial in Melbourne, and more.
www.austinyoung.com www.fallenfruit.org
Instagram: @austinyoungforever @fallen_fruit
ABOUT IRENE MACHETTI
Irene Machetti (Venice, 1996) uses food as her artistic medium and a tool for anthropological and socio-cultural investigation, studying the traditions and norms that regulate it. Challenging ancient rites and customs, she creates edible installations and performative projects that establish a dialogue between art and food, involving the visitor’s body and senses. Her research expands into the journalistic and curatorial field: Machetti writes about art and food on FAD Magazine (where she founded the column “FOOD ART” ) and Artribune.
Irene Machetti holds a BA in Art History from the Courtauld Institute of Art (London), followed by an MA at the LUISS Business School (Rome). The artist participates in projects between London and Italy, including: Collective Recipes (Open Space Contemporary, London, 2020); Contaminami (Cable Bakery, London, 2020 and Festival “I Tramonti di Tinia”, Azienda Agricola Spada, Sutri, 2023); Mi sono scordata di dirti che (Tropismi della memoria, Rome, 2023); Art Diners with Catriona Gallagher (Rome, 2024).
Sketch for Sposalizio del Mare (il ratto di Venezia)’, by Austin Young of Fallen Fruit. (in progress) digital collage printed on watercolor paper, 2024. Image courtesy of the artist
“Sposalizio del Mare (il ratto di Venezia) / Marriage of the Sea (The Rape of Venice)” tesse un affascinante racconto visivo e concettuale sul legame ancestrale tra la Serenissima e l’Adriatico. Austin Young / Fallen Fruit realizza un inedito ed immersivo wall covering di grandi dimensioni creato appositamente per Venezia. Tessuto e tende velate rivestono le pareti e le finestre del palazzo.
Come artista, cerco di creare un’esperienza sublime che cambia le sensazioni una volta entrati nella stanza. L’obiettivo è di condividere le mie percezioni attraverso un’avventura estetica”, afferma Young.
Il lavoro di Austin Young è insieme celebrazione e ritratto di Venezia, è un collage di fotografie originali dell’artista e di immagini tratte dagli archivi durante le sue visite nei musei, nelle chiese e nei palazzi della città.
L’artista americano spiega: “Per centinaia di anni, nel giorno dell’Ascensione, è stato compiuto un sacrificio. Si gettava in acqua un glorioso anello d’oro che affermava il dominio di Venezia sull’Adriatico. La magia di questo sacrificio divino è stato così potente da durare per secoli. Tra la diminuzione della popolazione, l’incrostazione dei canali, le maree sempre più alte e la perdita della comunità a causa degli affitti a breve termine, è tempo di rievocare questo antico voto: “Desponsamus te, mare, in signum veri perpetuique dominii! Ti sposiamo, mare, come simbolo del vero e perpetuo dominio!”.
Per l’evento di apertura del 18 Aprile è previsto un progetto partecipativo con l’artista Irene Machetti. I visitatori sono invitati a sposare il mare.
Viola Romoli e Luigi Franchin, direttori di THE POOL NYC, affermano: “Questa coinvolgente installazione d’arte, sublime e immersiva rappresenta un’immagine allegorica di Venezia sedotta dal turismo, una città che ha sacrificato il suo capitale culturale e l’ambiente per avidità. Un’accurata ricerca della bellezza, dell’identità e delle norme sociali permea il lavoro dell’artista, conferendogli una profondità e una rilevanza che fa presa con il pubblico di tutto il mondo.”
ABOUT THE POOL NYC
THE POOL NYC is a contemporary art gallery founded in New York in 2009, specializing in modern and contemporary artists and Murano glass. In November 2017 THE POOL NYC opened a permanent home in Palazzo Fagnani Ronzoni in Milan. On the occasion of the Venice Biennale, the gallery organizes a major art exhibition in the lagoon. The gallery stands out for its search for innovative artistic expressions and the rediscovery of artists fundamental to the History of the 20th century. THE POOL NYC is committed to offer an inclusive and diverse platform, welcoming a wide range of artistic mediums, including painting, sculpture, photography and installations. With a focus on experimentation and critical reflection, the gallery promotes meaningful dialogues on contemporary issues through art.