Fondation Valmont Brings Penelope to Venice: Chong Kwan, Blake and Yoshida at Palazzo Bonvicini
At the Palazzo Bonvicini in Venice, the Fondation Valmont is showcasing "Penelope. Her Journeys," a collective exhibition that will be open until 31 January 2027. This exhibit offers a modern interpretation of Penelope, featuring immersive installations and performance art. Curators Francesca Giubilei and Valentina Secco delve into concepts such as waiting, self-determination, memory, and everyday existence. Among the highlights are Gayle Chong Kwan's "The Lotus Eaters," which presents textile sculptures representing unseen labor, and Stephanie Blake's "Penelope, the Storyteller," utilizing blue fabrics and a typewriter to illustrate narrative progression. Additionally, Kimiko Yoshida's "Après le massacre, la Réconciliation" focuses on a dining table beneath a pink Murano glass chandelier, exploring the consequences of violence through a communal meal and the interactive performance "Le Dîner de Réconciliation."
Key facts
- "Penelope. Her Journeys" is on view at Palazzo Bonvicini, Calle de Ca' Bonvicini 2161/A, Venice, until 31 January 2027
- The exhibition is organized by Fondation Valmont and curated by Francesca Giubilei and Valentina Secco
- Artists in the show are Gayle Chong Kwan, Stephanie Blake and Kimiko Yoshida
- Gayle Chong Kwan was born in Scotland in 1973; Stephanie Blake in Northfield, USA, in 1968; Kimiko Yoshida in Tokyo, Japan, in 1963
- Chong Kwan's "The Lotus Eaters" embeds kitchen utensils and domestic objects within textile sculptures
- Blake's "Penelope, the Storyteller" replaces the loom with a typewriter amid blue fabrics
- Yoshida's "Après le massacre, la Réconciliation" features a dining table under the pink Murano chandelier "Colpo di Vento. Le retour d'Ulysse"
- Yoshida's participatory performance "Le Dîner de Réconciliation" invites guests to share a meal
Entities
Artists
- Gayle Chong Kwan
- Stephanie Blake
- Kimiko Yoshida
- Francesca Giubilei
- Valentina Secco
- Valeria Radkevych
- Homer
- Penelope
- Odysseus
- Laertes
Institutions
- Fondation Valmont
- Palazzo Bonvicini
- Artribune
- Valmont
- Venice Biennale
Locations
- Venice
- Italy
- Scotland
- Northfield
- United States
- Tokyo
- Japan
- Ithaca
- Murano
- Santa Croce