Outfitting the “Universe of unreality” exhibition. Zhong Biao solo exhibition. Gary Xu, curator.
Outfitting project
Venice, Church of Santa Maria della Visitazione, 2013
Intended use: temporary exhibit
Client: Berengo Studio 1989
Status: completed
Zhong Biao, one of China’s finest hyper realists, illustrated the relationship between time and space and the one between the individual and the universe in “The Universe of unreality” exhibit that featured oil paintings, installations, videos and music.
Under the instruction of the artist, C and C coordinated and supervised the completion of this ambitious outfitting.
The church’s only nave was split into two parts by a self-supporting structure. The first exhibit area, deliberately arranged across from the building’s walls held large scale drawings entitled “Revelations”.
The light in the second half of the church allowed visitors to distinguish elements exclusively indicated by the artist in his project: some of the 58 ceiling panels – oil paintings that date back to 16th century (a very rare example for Venice) - and the altarpieces on the side altars.
The installation’s focus was the cupola. Over 60 oil paintings hanging from a metal frame that seemed to “rain” from the ceiling like confetti to form an ideal igloo.
A video of a Tibetan sky was projected on the cupola ceiling: the effect was as if the cupola had been opened and spectators could see the uncontaminated sky over a 24-hour period - from the dawn’s early light to the appearance of the Milky Way.
The strong suit of our work was the lighting project along with the technique used to fasten the paintings to the cupola, both of which were designed and supervised by light designer Vincenzo Raponi.
See the exhibition 3D
