Beatrice Trussardi /
President Fondazione Nicola Trussardi, Milan
I remember my first visit at Fondazione Giorgio Cini, with my father, Nicola Trussardi, twenty years ago. Archives, artworks, libraries, everything was too impressive, too powerful, too beautiful, I felt something like a Stendhal Syndrome for the first time in my life… Today it's an incredible cultural institution: one of the most significant examples of a cultural centre able to re-integrate the Island of San Giorgio Maggiore into the life of Venice through its history. It's a centre with international standards and high-profile activities focused on the dialogue between heritage and contemporary languages. My first artistic experience in Venice was the Biennale curated by Harald Szeemann in 1999. I was only 27, I was studying art management in New York at that time, and his expanded show “dAperTutto / Aperto over All” was quite an intellectual shock.
My second strongest artistic emotion was the last Biennale, “The Encyclopaedic Palace”, curated by Massimiliano Gioni two years ago: an impressive monument to art as a language and expressive power, and not an exhibition meant to celebrate the artists most acclaimed by the art market. I'm really looking forward to watching the Norma by Vincenzo Bellini commissioned by La Fenice, with African American artist Kara When I'm in Venice, one of my points of reference is Harry's Dolci, with its view onto the Giudecca Canal. I like the exclusive sense of peace on this rarely visited island, where I can have a quiet breakfast or aperitif with my family and friends.
Harry's Dolci Sestiere Giudecca 773 Tel 041-5224844 www.cipriani.com I love also the Teatro Malibran, the first opera house in Venice, inaugurated in 1678, well-known as "the biggest, most beautiful and richest theatre in the city”. Now the Malibran is a centre for experimental production, with an educational and production programme involving young artistic energies from universities, academies and art schools on the Venetian territory.
Teatro Malibran Cannaregio 5873 Walker in charge of staging, set and costume design. I'm sure that this Special Project will be one of the highlights of this 2015 edition, a rare occasion to see one of the most prominent and militant artists of our days, dialoguing with one of the most beautiful theatres in the world. Teatro la Fenice Campo San Fantin, 1965 041 786511 I'm so curious to see Danh Vo's experimental project “Mothertongue” for the Danish Pavilion, also the negotiation of contradictions through the humour by Sarah Lucas for the UK Pavilion and Joan Jonas' new pioneer and multimedia works for the US Pavilion.