marionanni

on the occasion of the 60th international art exhibition, la biennale di venezia, marionanni will be featured in a new exhibition titled ilrespirodellaluce, curated by beatrice caprioli, held at palazzo marcello in cannaregio from april 18 to june 30, 2024.

after participating in the 2012 biennale with a pavilion at the corderie dell’arsenale and the 2009 biennale (la parete narrante, ca’ giustinian), marionanni will take center stage with a selection of twenty-four works that explore the concept of what he defines to be his metaluce: the actual moment that sees the sublime state of the luminous matter surpassing its own physical condition, becoming art in itself.
thus, light unveils its own essence of independent form, composing the scene and weaving a narrative that unfolds in the depths of our contemplative gaze.
drawing inspiration from the evocative spirit of the palazzo, the artist creates a forward-looking show that echoes its renaissance ambiences yet gazes towards the future, serving as a prelude to a larger project encompassing the entire palazzo marcello in the coming years.

organized in two sections, the exhibition journey begins in the main hall on the first floor overlooking the grand canal with a loggia of windows. in this first section, ilrespirodellaluce (the breath of light, 2013) comes to life: a long tungsten filament cuts through the wall and, in a crescendo, illuminates the space with a beam of incandescent red light that expands and contracts, rises and falls, reminiscent of a deep sensual sigh released after long moments of waiting. in the background, an elliptical mirrored surface reflects the whole scene, duplicating the viewers’ gaze and making them partake in the eternal birth of “the breath of light”

a similar tension is encountered in the work verso la luce, il rosso (towards the light, the red, 2013): a six-meter-long metal rod leans obliquely against the brick wall. from this emerges a luminous fan that decomposes itself into cones of lights and shadows that intertwine and overlap. their reflection on the floor gives space to a white shape that, in its candid purity, opens us up to a contemplative moment.

works from the series la velocità della luce (the speed of light, 2013) contribute to amplifying this mysterious, almost transcendent atmosphere. plaster, oil, ink, and neon transform two panels into objects that narrate the intuitive vision of the speed of the luminous body.

in la velocità della luce, il sole (the speed of light, the sun, 2013), five circles of different sizes and orientations, inscribed with yellow ink on a blue slab, are arranged in an orderly descending pattern culminating in a flat neon light fissure, the horizon. the work intends to celebrate the image of the sun, which, describing its arc and approaching sunset, drowns in the blue ink of the night and settles into reflection.

the speed of light, the night, 2013 transcends its title’s suggestion of light’s dominance. instead, it plunges us into the profound depths of darkness, the fertile ground from which all stories begin. here, in the silence of absence, the narrative unfolds. on a long horizontal table, a burst of circular red light erupts, a fleeting beacon slicing through the darkness and igniting movement on the still, inky surface. like a momentary spark in the night, unforgettable yet ephemeral, the light leaves its trace in dense, circular imprints of purplish ink, echoing the memory of its swift passage.

the artist also explores the concepts of light and darkness, space and time, through both scientific inquiry and artistic expression, resulting in a series of thought-provoking studies and formulations. in the compressions of light, 2024 marionanni, through a complex system of openings and mechanisms, confronts the challenge of the intangible material: seemingly resistant to capture or control, light transcends its ephemeral form and, in the artist’s hands, it acquires weight, substance, and physicality that defies its very nature.

a thematic exploration of light and theater unfolds across two dedicated rooms on the second floor. culminating a two-year creative journey, marionanni’s visionary interpretation of verdi’s opera, luisa miller took center stage at the teatro comunale di bologna in 2022. from direction to lighting, sets, costumes, and even jewelry, he orchestrated a truly immersive experience.

the exhibition features a complete recording of the opera. the artist described this creative process as “a transformative journey fueled by reflections, harmonies, and contrasts.” in this production, light transcends its traditional role, transforming into scenography itself. this “metaluce,” as the artist terms it, becomes a medium to reveal a new perspective on giuseppe verdi’s melodramatic masterpiece, “luisa miller.”

the exhibition itinerary culminates in a powerful embodiment of marionanni’s artistic philosophy: “only when all the arts are united, enchantment is achieved, and everything becomes poetry, poetry of universal light.

by weaving together different disciplines, marionanni invites viewers on a transformative journey, one that transcends the boundaries of individual art forms and reveals the profound beauty of a unified artistic vision.