Art Destinations

Ep 4: Publishing in Venice with Enrico Bettinello

Join us as we dive into a fascinating conversation with Enrico, the mastermind behind Wetlands Books, a publishing house in Venice that is redefining storytelling. From commissioning African writers to exploring the intersection of theatre and books, Enrico shares his unique perspective on the cultural landscape of Venice.In this episode, we explore Enrico's vision for Wetlands Books, and the importance of addressing contemporary issues such as over-tourism and climate change through storytelling. We also delve into the Afterwords project, which invites African writers to reflect on Venice, and discuss the impact of theatre on audience engagement.

Ep 3: Re-imagining islands at Biennale Architettura 2023

Mary Laheen was one of five creative directors of the Ireland pavilion exhibition, at the 18th Venice Architettura Biennale 2023, titled In Search of Hy-Brasil.
In this episode, we discuss the significance of islands as we re-imagine the future. This idea is of particular interest to me as I continue my research, after completing my PhD on how the atmosphere of islandness can be conveyed through the photographic image.
Mary and I met in Venice during the finissage period when Australia and Ireland co-hosted an event with Scotland, titled Wanderlands. It was during this period, we found synergies between each of our pavilions, with some shared experiences as island nations navigating our history of colonisation by the British Empire.
 
In this third episode we cover:
the theme of islands that underlies the exhibition concept In Search of Hy-Brasil
how the exhibition draws inspiration from the mythological island of Hy-Brasil and the islands off the coast of Ireland.
what we can learn from islands, particularly in terms of the nature-culture dynamic and the resilience and creativity fostered by living in island communities.
designing an exhibition that is an atmospheric or sensory experience rather than a more traditional explanation-driven style
the role of mythology in understanding islands and the connections between isolation, belonging and creativity.
the importance of decolonisation and decarbonisation in architectural practice and Mary’s interest in exploring new ways of building with sustainable materials and technologies
parallels between island life in Ireland and Tasmania, highlighting shared experiences of living on the periphery and the creative freedom that comes with it, and
reflections on future collaborations and the ongoing journey of exploring innovative approaches to architecture and design.

Ep 2: Cosimo Ferrigolo on fluid boundaries

Cosimo Ferrigolo dissolves boundaries to challenge us to live in a more inclusive and inter-connected way. He speaks to us from his home-studio in Venice about how fluidity permeates his work.
We met when I visited the Venice Biennale Architecturra last year. I was in Venice as one of five creative directors of the Australia Pavilion 2023 exhibition unsettling Queenstown.
 
In this episode we cover:
how living in Venice takes on a political meaning
how Cosimo’s passion for architectural spaces shifted his career from theatre set design to performance art as he was more interested in listening to abandoned spaces than creating a set in a blank canvas
Cosimo’s involvement in Metaforte, the former Austrian naval fort turned artists live-in studio, in the Venezia lagoon
blurring the boundaries on fact and fiction,
the periphery’s relationship with the centre, and
Cosimo’s shared feeling between his work and childhood
 
Biography
Cosimo Ferrigolo is a theatre stage manager and performance artist who studied architecture and urban design.
His interest in how artists work in urban spaces and the stories they reveal is influenced by his background in theatre set design and performance studies. He always works collaboratively and uses an interdisciplinary approach to dissolve the boundaries of how we experience the world, raising more questions than providing answers.
Since 2021 he has been the stage manager for the OHT theatre company. In 2020 he co-founded BARdaDino, a shared studio and cultural space in Venice. Since 2017 he has collaborated with MetaForte Association, a cultural urban regeneration project through art and housing in Cavallino-Treporti VE, Italy.

Ep 1: Collaboration in the Venetian Lagoon

Independent curator Alice Ongaro Sartori collaborates with artists across the archipelago in the Venetian lagoon to develop site specific projects that focus on how art, ecology and the public sphere intersect. 
 
In this first episode we cover:
TBA21s Ocean Space, an arts foundation advocating for ocean literacy through art. With an international focus, it has found its home in Venice, and tries to find a balance between the global and local by working with Veneto artists, alongside those further afield,
examples of site-specific arts projects in the lagoon; such as The Garden of the Unaccompanied Children and the Floating Cinema (people came together in 300+ gondolas in the lagoon to watch films),
the importance of collaboration in Alice’s practice and how she values female power,
how fascist imagery from the 1960s and 70s can be seen in popular culture today,
and new African fiction being published by Venice-based publisher wetlands.
Whether you are interested in how artists and curators respond to the social, political and environmental tensions within a place, or you are fascinated by the beauty and mythology of Venice, this episode promises to reveal another layer of Venice that can only be experienced by immersing yourself in the lagoon.
Tune in to hear how the islands in the Venezia lagoon influence the psyche and the artistic imagination.

Introduction: Art Destinations Venice

Welcome to the first season of Art Destinations. Artists, curators and publishers reveal something special about Venice and the surrounding islands in the Venezia Lagoon. 
In this introduction, we spend time sharing the connections between those interviewed, including: curator Alice Ongaro Sartori, performance artist Cosimo Ferrigolo, one of the 2023 Venice Biennale's Ireland Pavilion creative directors Mary Laheen, publisher Enrico Bettinello of Wetlands Books, and multi-disciplinary artists Nuvola Ravera and Carolina Mazzolari. 
For show notes and transcripts, please go to artdestinations.org.