Soap Culture: New Venice Art Space Opens with Multisensory Focus
During the pre-opening phase of the 2024 Venice Biennale, a new permanent art venue called SOAP CULTURE has been launched at Palazzo Zon in Venice's Castello district. This initiative is spearheaded by the duo Murmur, consisting of perfumer Barnabé Fillion and artist Sofia Elias. Situated on Calle Zon, the space is designed to facilitate exploration, research, and creative expression through a synesthetic lens, reminiscent of Fillion's Istituto Arpa. The inaugural exhibition, "Lavati la bocca con il sapone" (Wash Your Mouth Out with Soap), features works from 17 artists, including Manuel Alvarez Bravo and Wolfgang Tillmans, and will be on display until June 15, 2024. It occupies ten rooms of architect Paolo Piva's former studio, delving into soap's symbolism of transformation and intimacy through various multidisciplinary formats.
Key facts
- SOAP CULTURE opened at Palazzo Zon in Venice during the pre-opening of the 2024 Venice Biennale.
- The space is promoted by Murmur, a duo consisting of perfumer Barnabé Fillion and artist Sofia Elias.
- The inaugural exhibition is titled 'Lavati la bocca con il sapone' and runs until June 15, 2024.
- The exhibition features 17 artists: Manuel Alvarez Bravo, Miroslaw Balka, Etienne Chambaud, Phil Collins, Mimosa Echard, Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster, Mona Hatoum, Thembinkosi Hlatswayo, Thomas Mailaender, Murmur, Gabriel Orozco, Max Piva, Teodoro Teadora, Wolfgang Tillmans, Rare Books, Namacheko, and Lowjack.
- The space is located in Calle Zon, Castello district, Venice.
- The space was formerly the studio of architect Paolo Piva.
- The project centers on soap culture as a metaphor for transformation and fluidity.
- The approach is synesthetic, combining different sensory spheres.
Entities
Artists
- Barnabé Fillion
- Sofia Elias
- Manuel Alvarez Bravo
- Miroslaw Balka
- Etienne Chambaud
- Phil Collins
- Mimosa Echard
- Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster
- Mona Hatoum
- Thembinkosi Hlatswayo
- Thomas Mailaender
- Murmur
- Gabriel Orozco
- Max Piva
- Teodoro Teadora
- Wolfgang Tillmans
- Rare Books
- Namacheko
- Lowjack
- Paolo Piva
Institutions
- SOAP CULTURE
- Palazzo Zon
- Murmur
- Istituto Arpa
Locations
- Venice
- Italy
- Castello
- Calle Zon