At the Fondazione Querini Stampalia, a new exhibition reinterprets the historic collection through the dreams and passions of its founder
From May 5, 2026, the Fondazione Querini Stampalia presents The Dreamer, an exhibition introducing a new concept and a new layout for the permanent collection.
The project begins with the figure of Giovanni Querini Stampalia, the passionate, determined, visionary, and generous man who in 1869 established this long-standing and kaleidoscopic institution, leaving his palace, his art collection, and his library to the community, dedicating them to cultural and educational purposes.
The Dreamer recounts the dreams, passions, and vision of Giovanni Querini, his sister Caterina Querini, and their family.
The itinerary connects over 170 works from the collection, including masterpieces by Giovanni Bellini, Pietro Longhi, Luca Giordano, and Palma il Vecchio, with interventions by six contemporary artists: Giusy Calia, Silvia Giambrone, Emanuele Becheri, Daniela De Lorenzo, Davide Rivalta, and Chiara Bettazzi.
The exhibition is conceived as a sequence of environments and film sets. Each room creates a dialogue between works, memory, and imagination, guiding the visitor through a non-chronological path.
The layout features references to the film Senso by Luchino Visconti and presents a sensory dimension built through fabrics, sounds, and scents. Fabrics by Fortuny, Rubelli, and Tessitura Luigi Bevilacqua define the spaces, while fragrances by The Merchant of Venice help enhance the experience.
The Dreamer invites us to reinterpret the history of the Foundation as a gesture directed toward the future.
The legacy of Giovanni Querini Stampalia becomes the starting point for a reflection on the value of culture and memory. Alongside The Dreamer, the Foundation presents a rich program of exhibitions during the Biennale period.
From May 9 to November 22, 2026, Cosmotechnics: Ding Yi as a Planetary Code, curated by Alfredo Cramerotti and Auronda Scalera, is dedicated to Ding Yi, one of the most significant artists of Chinese abstractionism.
The exhibition brings together historical and new works along with a series of stone steles, transforming the Scarpa Area into a contemplative environment. The title references the thought of philosopher Yuk Hui.
From May 5 to November 22, 2026, Nigel Cooke: Bad Habits, curated by Evelyn C. Hankins, presents the first solo exhibition in Italy by Nigel Cooke, who is also the first artist-in-residence in the Foundation’s history.
From May 5 to September 13, 2026, The Invisible Chord. Hans Hartung and Music, conceived by the Fondation Hartung-Bergman with Perrotin, explores the relationship between Hans Hartung and music through approximately eighty works including paintings, documents, and instruments.
The Dreamer
from May 5, 2026
Cosmotechnics: Ding Yi as a Planetary Code
May 9 – November 22, 2026 – Scarpa Area
Nigel Cooke: Bad Habits
May 5 – November 22, 2026 – Library Portego
The invisible chord. Hans Hartung and the Music
May 5 – September 13, 2026 – Third floor
Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 10 AM – 6 PM, last entry 5:30 PM. Closed on Mondays
Tickets: admission to the exhibitions is included in the Fondazione Querini Stampalia entrance ticket: full price €15, reduced €12.
All reductions and free entry details are available at querinistampalia.org
Fondazione Querini Stampalia
Santa Maria Formosa, Castello 5252, Venice
querinistampalia.org
Article by Laura Scarpa.
Photos courtesy of the press office. Portrait of Nigel Cooke by Damian Griffiths.
