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Contemporary Art in Venice: Building Bridges by Lorenzo Quinn

The artist Lorenzo Quinn is back to Venice Lorenzo Quinn became famous worldwide in 2017 thanks to the gigantic hands of his work “Support” displayed along the Grand Canal. This year he presents “Building Bridges” at the Arsenale.
Not two but twelve hands, to form six couples, representing different moral values: friendship, wisdom, help, faith, hope and love.


Building Bridges

Quinn explains how this new art work actually continues the project he started two years ago with Support, the main aim of which was to stress all the problems connected with climate change.

He thinks that today it is necessary to build bridges, to join forces: human beings all together can obtain great results, which otherwise would seem impossible to reach.
Venice, in Quinn’s opinion, is the ideal city from this point of view, since it has been building bridges with other cultures for 1600 years. Let us think, for example, of the commercial and explorative expeditions of the Venetian merchants in the past, among which we have to mention Marco Polo, who brought the Far East into Venice.


The Artist Lorenzo Quinn

The issue with climate change is always present in this artist’s works, but this time it is the entire humanity that is placed in the spotlight: we must create bridges across any border, in order to connect cultures and diversities. And this is the reason why on the 9th of May, at the inauguration ceremony, 195 Venetian children were present, each holding a flag to represent all the 195 countries of the world.


Building Bridges, detail

Quinn recalls the famous speech held by J. F. Kennedy right after his oath as President of the United States of America, although changing the word country with the word humanity: “Ask not what the humanity can do for you… Ask what you can do for the humanity”.

This work of art is 15 meters (49 feet) tall and 20 meters (almost 66 feet) long. The six couples of hands create a bridge across the canal, and recall those moral qualities which should be at the basis of everyday life for the entire human kind, beyond any kind of barrier or border.

Would you like to book a private tour at the discovery of the beauty of this contemporary art in Venice?
Let us start with the visit of the Arsenale and of Quinn’s hands!
We are already waiting for you!
Contacts: info@guidedtoursinvenice.com