Bringing people closer to the art of needle lace and experiencing the Burano of yesterday and tomorrow: RI-VIVI BURANO is the new interactive experience that Martina Vidal Venezia offers to guests and clients of the Atelier, created with Upskill 4.0 and Vitruvio Virtual Reality
Ri-Vivi Burano was born from the collaboration with Upskill Venezia, the cultural and artisan enterprise acceleration project that connects new technologies and traditional craftsmanship, promoted by Fondazione di Venezia in collaboration with Upskill 4.0, a spin-off of Ca’ Foscari University.
Transmitting the passion for lace to young aspiring artisans, Venetians and tourists, and contributing to the preservation of the art of Burano lace are the objectives set by Martina Vidal for the project.
The solution proposed by students from ITS FITSTIC in Bologna, which Upskill 4.0 paired with the atelier, was a prototype proposal on a vision of Burano between past and future. The Atelier then developed the Ri-Vivi Burano project: an interactive room to relive the Burano of the 1900s and imagine the evolution of lace, for an immersive experience created with technology partner Vitruvio Virtual Reality through Meta Quest 3 headsets and free navigation with teleport method.
“The virtual reality of RI-VIVI BURANO allows you to immerse yourself in an extraordinary cultural heritage. It was moving to see photos, videos and contexts of the Burano of the 1900s again, incorporated into a virtual journey that allows you to remember the past, see where we have arrived and think about the future of this wonderful art” says Sergio Vidal, Co-Founder of the brand Martina Vidal Venezia. “We are thrilled to have created this new Martina Vidal experience, because it will allow us to develop many other activities and contribute to the preservation of Burano lace.”
Martina Vidal is a Venetian company specializing in the production of accessories, clothing and home linens in Burano lace, one of the most precious and ancient fabrics in the world. “We believe that this new experience will allow us to meet and interact with new audiences. Everything arose from the need to inspire young people with a passion for the art of lace in order to create a new methodology for generational transfer” says Marta Perissinotto, Communication Manager of Martina Vidal Venezia. “Once this artisan craft was passed down from mother to daughter and was primarily performed within the home. The girls of Burano did not have many options in terms of work, they knew that the choice to become lacemakers was dutiful and necessary. Today it is essential that the profession of lacemaker can be a choice of will, passion and a broader vision beyond just lace.”
Stefano Micelli, researcher and professor in International Management at Ca’ Foscari University Venice, emphasizes: “We are proud of Martina Vidal’s new virtual reality experience because it ideally concludes an innovative journey begun with Upskill Venezia and shows how the great heritage of knowledge linked to the craftsmanship of this city can be interpreted in a contemporary way.”
The search for and training of specialized labor, and the protection of the art of Burano lace are still today the challenges of the Martina Vidal Atelier, which with Upskill Venezia has laid the first stone of a broader project for the preservation and rebirth of Burano lace.
The dream of siblings Martina and Sergio Vidal envisions a globally accessible digital platform, with lessons, tutorials and educational resources, aimed at clients, tourists and researchers, to remember the history and tradition, and think about the future of lace. The project has the patronage of Confindustria Venezia and the Chamber of Commerce of Venice Rovigo.
All photos are by Roberto Rosa.
