A Biennale on the respectful relationship between man and the city. Didier Guillon, Fondation Valmont, for #RiscrivereilFuturo di Venezia
For the #RiscrivereilFuturo project, Venezia da Vivere and the Associazione Piazza San Marco interviewed entrepreneurs, curators, directors of cultural institutions, rectors and university professors, hoteliers, event organizers, and citizens who live and work in Venice. An open debate with the community to foster an idea of a city in balance with the environment, work, and its civitas.
Here is the interview with Didier Guillon, President of the Fondation Valmont, which is based in Venice in the historic Venetian palace of Ca’ Bonvicini.
VDV: How do you imagine Venice in the future?
In the weekend edition of “Le Temps,” a respectable Swiss newspaper, I read an article with a provocative title, Voir Venise Mourir (To See Venice Die). I largely agreed with it, adding, of course, the conjunction AND, To See Venice Die, because I cannot imagine being indifferent while witnessing the slow agony of one of the most beautiful cities in the world without doing anything. I would rather disappear first. No, everything remains to be done to allow Venetians and lovers of Venice to live there harmoniously.
VDV: What can politics and citizens do for a rebirth of Venice?
I will not venture into the political field of quotas, permits, the number of millions of acceptable visitors or not, or a hyper-tax for Asian tourists. I will settle for an obvious concept: developing respectful tourism. To respect Venice is to learn to respect oneself, as Voltaire might have said.
VDV: Propose a specific idea in at least one of these areas: environment, housing, work, culture, security, tourism.
The most beautiful specific project would therefore be to organize a Contemporary Art Biennale entirely dedicated to the respectful relationship between man and his city.
Didier Guillon, President of Fondation Valmont.
Fondation Valmont, the contemporary art foundation of the Swiss cosmetics group, has created a permanent space for cultural production at Palazzo Bonvicini, in the Santa Croce district of Venice. The exhibition Venetian Love presents a dialogue between the artists Aristide Najean, Silvano Rubino, and Didier Guillon himself.
The chandeliers by Aristide Najean take us on an unprecedented journey through time, from Marco Polo to the melting of the glaciers.
Murano glass transforms fire from fantasy to reality: Silvano Rubino has worked on a series of large-scale digital images, modeled in 3D.
With his scenography centered on white masks, Didier Guillon explores the opportunities of the past and the future, and as a tribute to the majesty of Venice, he adds another masterpiece to the exhibition: Luchino Visconti’s film Death in Venice, a timeless work of art, viewable at Palazzo Bonvicini on Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays at 11 AM.
Venetian Love
Palazzo Bonvicini
Santa Croce 2161a, Venice
Open daily by appointment 10 AM – 6 PM
+39 041 8050002
Link to Google Maps
Photos are by the Valmont Foundation
#RiscrivereilFuturo is a project by Venezia da Vivere and the Associazione Piazza San Marco.
How do you imagine Venice in the future?
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