fornasetti's 'rule of dreams' takes over the fondaco dei tedeschi store in venice

for the occasion of 2019’s venice art biennale, barnaba fornasetti and valeria manzi present ‘la regola del sogno – the rule of dreams’, a site-specific installation conceived for lifestyle department store fondaco dei tedeschi. the large-scale artwork showcases iconic motifs from the fornasetti archive, which are creatively arranged to interact with the historical setting. visitors are invited to become immersed in the countless silhouettes of hands and the many expressions of lina cavalieri – the 19th century opera singer whose beautifully enchanting face became fornasetti’s main inspiration and can be seen hanging in the building’s porticos and peeking over balconies inside.

image courtesy of fornasetti

upon moving through the levels and gallery spaces of the department store, visitors come across numerous interpretations of lina cavalieri’s classically beautiful face. from her sticking out her tongue in a playful expression, to her being adorned with an eye-patch or thick-rimmed glasses, the exhibition clearly conveys the influential role this quintessential image has had on the fornasetti brand – with a staggering 400 different interpretations being realised to date.

image © designboom

fornasetti’s la regola del sogno – the rule of dreams is on display from may 8 to november 24, 2019, permeating throughout the entire fondaco building, from the fourth floor, to the courtyard down to the waterfront entrance. with the beguiling faces of lina cavalieri, irreverent monkeys and hands slicing through the air, the installation by barnaba fornasetti and valeria manzi interacts with the spaces around it and indeed with the very reach of the historical place itself, trifling with its ancient symbols.

image courtesy of fornasetti

conceived as a dialogue with the building itself, its history and its memories, the rule of dreams brings into play two of the most iconic elements of the fornasetti narrative: silhouettes of arms and hands, and of monkeys. ‘no obscenities or insults, no gaming, uproar or brawling. otherwise do business as you will’: these strict rules, engraved in marble at the entrance to the fondaco building, were imposed by the serenissima republic of venice on travelling merchants. here in the work of the two creative artists, the rules are ‘enforced’ by the monkeys that hover over visitors and seem to taunt them. overall, the installation creates a miniature world of fornsasetti, bringing together the most well-known motifs of their archive within a historical setting.