GASK to offer a bit of Venice in upcoming exhibition
In this week’s Arts I talk to Jitka Hanušová of Art for Public, collaborating on an upcoming exhibition at the GASK Gallery in Kutná Hora, central Bohemia. The show, entitled “Venice - the Eternal Dream”, opens next week, featuring work by Italian photographer Maria Pia Severi and Venetian Carnevale masks from the traditional Pietro Longhi atelier.
“Our aim is to connect galleries and to try and create a kind of international platform for artists and an exchange of their work, exhibitions, contacts. We have connections with GASK, a wonderful gallery space and we agreed we would cooperate on exhibitions like this one with the work of Maria Pia Severi. She herself liked the idea and chose prints from her series about Venice which she had photographed. Venice and Kutna Hora both have medieval roots so there is something shared there or a certain connection.”
How would you describe Maria Pia Severi as an artist? Her photographs are very different far-removed from photos a tourist might take, for example, of the city.
“Over the years she developed her own unique technique, which she began while taking digital photos from her car. When she saw the results she felt that they reflected a different reality reflected in them, and said something about the places and the atmosphere. She then did several different series, not just Venice but also Modena and also the island Capri. She tries to capture the moment and to transpose a certain emotional state.”
“The blurriness of the imagery is characteristic as you said especially colours that are typical of Venice as well as the Venetian Carnevale. So I think viewers will take away a feeling of colour and emotion.”
That’s right, the Carnevale is an important part of work: will viewers see typical elements like costumes and masks, a certain kind of atmosphere which is usual for that event?
“They do feature in the photographs and there are a lot of different masks and scenes, for example in front of St. Mark’s Basilica.”
“Maria Pia Severi selected around 40 photographs which will be shown. We also produced an accompanying catalogue with about 100 works.”
In any exhibition it is important to choose a strong signature image: what was chosen for this show?
“We chose ‘The Green Lady in the Mirror’ because it combines many of the elements we have been discussing. It shows the connection between Venice, the carnival, all the aspects of the exhibition, and it is a little dreamlike as well. As well, there will be an accompanying programme showing masks borrowed from the city of Venice.”
“They are replicas but they are masks that are being produced using traditional methods. They came from Atelier Pietro Longhi – the only atelier still producing historic costumes in Venice, using traditional techniques and quality materials.”
For more information please visit www.gask.cz
