pawel althamer plastifies venetians for the 55th venice biennale

‘venetians 2013’ by pawel althamer, venice, italyimage © designboom

pawel althamer: venetians 55th venice art biennale, venice italy on now until novemer 24th, 2013

pawel althamer, a polish artist of multiple media known for his willingness to alter his own state of mind and body for the exploration of deeper realms hiddenwithin his own psyche, has completed his exhibition ‘venetians’ for the 55th venice biennale. working in collaboration with his father’s plastics manufacturingcompany, almech, althamer cast the faces and hands of local venetians in plastic before attaching them to bodies composed of extruded plastic ribbons. the resultant scene is a surreal portrait of venice, whose life-size inhabitants are represented by their faces and hands and more abstract ghoulish bodieslike lost souls, supporting his own assertion that ‘it is a major achievement to realize that the body is only a vehicle for the soul.’

image © designboom

each character depicts a different action, emotion, and ideaimage © designboom

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‘venetians 2013’ by pawel althamer, venice, italyimage © designboom

plastified into place depicting an imaginary scene from a social venetian cityimage © designboom

image © designboom

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