Anish Kapoor's Venice exhibition expands to Palazzo Manfrin

Anish Kapoor's upcoming exhibition in Venice, originally scheduled for the 2022 Biennale Arte, will now occupy two venues: the Gallerie dell'Accademia and Palazzo Manfrin in Cannaregio. The show runs from April 20 to October 9, 2022. Palazzo Manfrin, currently under restoration, was purchased in 1788 by Count Girolamo Manfrin and housed a notable art collection. In the mid-19th century, 21 paintings from the collection, including Giorgione's 'La Tempesta' and 'La Vecchia', were transferred to the Gallerie dell'Accademia. Kapoor's exhibition will feature both past and new works, including pieces made with Vantablack, the blackest material invented by Ben Jensen, of which Kapoor holds exclusive rights. The artist aims to explore the dialectic between beauty and violence, and the concept of disappearance through his black material. Kapoor and Mario Codognato, director of the Anish Kapoor Foundation, plan to revive Palazzo Manfrin as a cultural hub. Kapoor also commented on the pandemic's exposure of global inequality and lack of political leadership.