Studio Brief & Information

Scenes of Public Life

Between 1740 and 1782 the self-taught painter Gabriel Bella portrayed 67 scenes of public Venetian life. Entirely preserved at the Querini Stampalia Foundation in Venice, this body of paintings represents a precious historical document about the relationships between the architecture of the city, the daily life of its inhabitants, and the staging of major collective rituals. Subtracted from the nostalgic image of a fragile and decadent environment, the stones of Venice are violently challenged by events such as the Bulls race on Rialto Bridge, the Bear hunting in Campo Sant’Angelo, the Paddle game, or the Doge Funerals.

Most of these events are “activated” by more or less ephemeral structures that collaborate with the monumental architecture of the city. They offer backdrops, stages, stairs, enclosures and sceneries to support the rituals: they frame the actions of the collective body. Our investigation on Venice will start from an in-depth analysis of this rich set of public devices. Isolated from their historical context, they can be observed from the point of view of their specific spatial performance. Our analysis will highlight positions, proportions, construction techniques and ornaments: architectural (re)drawing will be the main operative tool for our research.

Observed from a contemporary perspective, Bella’s public scenes can be interpreted as “renderings” of an ambitious urban project that we will retroactively formulate. Being based on highly eloquent but partial images, this project is subject to interpretation, misunderstanding, mistakes, and a certain degree of invention. It will investigate the potential of a temporary project to orient future developments. It will question the dominant narrations of the contemporary Venice: What kind of scenes would we portray today? What spaces would frame them? What rituals would take place there? From Roland Barthes Comment vivre ensemble to Hashim Sarkis How will we live together? the negotiation of boundaries between private and collective life, and the notion of shared spaces are crucial in defining the project for the contemporary city. Only through a speculation on outrageously experimental forms of living together we can investigate how space is defined by the collectivity over time, and today more than ever.

The reverse strategy we propose for the Venice Studio is deeply connected with our office practice and design method, and it’s rooted in our research interests. We aim at producing an exhibition and a publication of the results of this important work. Ideally, motivated students would be involved in a second phase of editing, post production and exhibition design that can take the form of an internship in our office in Milan, and would actively contribute to the development of the research until its final outcome.

Matteo Ghidoni – Salottobuono

Field Trips

Fondazione Querini Stampalia (designed by Carlo Scarpa and Mario Botta) & the paintings of Gabriel Bella

A tour of the public spaces in Venice activated by Venetian collective rituals

Venice Art Biennale

A contemporary architecture tour of Giudecca Island

Fondazione Cini (San Giorgio Maggiore Island)

Andrea Palladio and Carlo Scarpa tour in the Veneto region

Internships

Are internships at Salottobuono available to students of this studio?
Yes. Internship places are available

Location Available:
Milan

Details:
Students accepted into the Salottobuono Studio at Venice Studio are eligible for selection to undertake an internship at Salottobuono. Selection of candidates is at the sole discretion of the studio directors and Salottobuono. Places are not guaranteed.
*Please contact us at Venice Studio using the form below for further information about these opportunities.

Salottobuono

Salottobuono produces architecture in any possible form: research, drawing, printed matter, temporary installations and actual buildings.

Run by Matteo Ghidoni in Milan, Salottobuono has served as editor of the “Instructions and Manuals” section of Abitare magazine (2007-10) and as creative director of Domus magazine (2011, 2012). The office has taken part in the Venice Biennale (2008, 2012, 2014), and designed the Italian Pavilion in 2010. Salottobuono published the “Manual of Decolonization” (2010) and “Fundamental Acts” (2016).

Casino
Venice, Italy

© Marco Cappelletti