virgil abloh exhibits 'acqua alta' series of sinking furniture during venice art biennale

virgil abloh presents acqua alta, a series of ‘sinking’ chairs, benches and a floor lamp, as part of the carpenters workshop gallery-organized ‘DYSFUNCTIONAL’ exhibition. on view during the 2019 venice art biennale, the installation draws from the tide peaks that regularly affect venetian life, and acts as a reminder of the city’s, and our planet’s, rising water levels.

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header image: ‘alaska alaska’ acqua alta series, courtesy of virgil abloh and carpenters workshop gallery

set at galleria giorgio franchetti alla ca’ d’oro in venice, abloh’s acqua alta is one of the more than 50 works by 23 artists and designers who were invited by carpenters workshop gallery to exhibit alongside the palace’s permanent collection of renaissance and baroque pieces. the objects in the series are cast in polished bronze, while their tilting forms make them appear as if they are sinking in water. the installation acts as a time stamp in history, reminding visitors of the rising sea levels, and inviting them to think about the fate of venice and our planet.

image © designboom

image © designboom image © designboom image © designboom image © designboom image © designboom image © designboom 

project info:

exhibition: DYSFUNCTIONAL

exhibition organizer: carpenters workshop gallery in partnership with the lombard odier group

location: galleria giorgio franchetti alla ca’d’oro, grand canal, venice

dates: 8 may – 24 november 2019