Claudio Beorchia's 'Aurale' Captures Visitor Whispers at Gallerie dell'Accademia

Claudio Beorchia (Vercelli, 1979) completed the first artist residency at the Gallerie dell'Accademia di Venezia on April 12, 2019, in collaboration with the Accademia di Belle Arti and We Are Here Venice. For three months, Beorchia worked as a guard, recording the ephemeral whispers of visitors in front of masterpieces. These sounds were transformed into new audio guides voiced by museum staff, available until May 12, focusing on 22 works. The project, titled 'Aurale,' includes an installation with videos, photos, the original golden audio guide, transcriptions, and a graphic map of Beorchia's path. A performative guided tour with curator Michele Tavola and staff members Leila and Vittorio is scheduled for May 12. The audio guides' colors and patterns are drawn from details of the artworks. Beorchia's work highlights the spontaneous reactions of tourists, students, and scholars, from comments on Bellini's San Sebastiano ('Uh che bell'uomo') to Carpaccio's barboncino in gondola and Tiepolo's 'Il Tiepolone.' The residency was part of a broader initiative to engage contemporary art with the museum's historic collection.