Cool creations of art and design
Among the various exhibitions running parallel with this year’s 50th Venice Biennale, «Snow Show» is singled out both for its unusual concept and the project’s international scope. Curated by the New York-based independent curator Lance Fung, «Snow Show» tests the potential of ice and snow as material in works that blend art and architecture. Thirty renowned artists and an equal number of architects from around the world have worked in pairs (one artist with one architect) to produce works made by ice and snow scheduled to be presented in Finland next year; a preview of those works are presented through three-dimensional projections, models and drawings at the Venice show, held at UNESCO’s Palazzo Zorzi. Anamorphosis contributors (made up by the architects Nikos Georgiadis, Tota Mamalaki, Costas Cacoyiannis and Vaios Zitonoulis) which have been paired with the Irish-born artist Eva Rothschild, is the only Greek architectural team participating in the project. They have been selected along with some of the most prestigious names in art and architecture: Sol Lewitt, Anish Kapoor, Kiki Smith, Rachel Whiteread, Yoko Ono, Daniel Buren, Nam June Paik and Ilya Kabakov are some of the artists participating. Among the architects are Tadao Andor, Zaha Hadid, Diller and Scofidio, Rem Koolhaas and Future Systems. For «Snow Show,» Anamorphosis have constructed an open-air theater of the ancient Greek, amphitheater type (their project is subsidized by the Greek National Tourism Organization) and modeled after the team’s distinctive approach to space. In February, Anamorphosis and Eva Rothschild will construct an installation of snow and ice in Kemi, in Finland’s Lapland. The Venice exhibition is only one side to «Snow Show,» an evolving, touring project that involves publications and special editions and is held under the auspices of UNESCO and the European Union as well as Finland’s ministries of Culture and Foreign Affairs and its tourist organization. The inclusion of Anamorphosis architects helps place Greek architecture on an international map. Anamorphosis have actually been included in major international shows before (they have also worked for international projects) including last year’s Venice Biennale of architecture – where they presented their design for the Museum of the Foundation of the Hellenic World – and Rotterdam’s Biennale of Architecture, which closes this week.
