Special EVENTS | venezia

PRESS RELEASE "PASSATO PROSSIMO / RECENT PAST"

"The Ghetto of Venice: Passato Prossimo / Recent Past
Photos 1986-2016 by Graziano Arici"

Jewish Museum of Venice, Campo del Ghetto Nuovo
18 September 2016 - 8 January 2017

curated by ThaumArt Gallery
Set-up project: magdadisiena.com
Catalogue: Campanotto Editore

The exhibit "The Ghetto of Venice, Recent Past - Photos 1986-2016 by Graziano Arici (original title: Il Ghetto di Venezia: Passato Prossimo - Fotografie 1986-2016 di Graziano Arici") at the Jewish Museum of Venice on the occasion of the Quincentenary of the Ghetto (1516-2016), has opened on the European Day for Jewish Culture, and thru 8 January 2017 it presents a selection of images shot by the renown Venetian photographer. Over fifty extraordinary images illustrate the life of the Ghetto, and constitute both a historical memory of the most recent years and a loving memorial to those who are not here anymore: in fact, people more than locations are the real protagonists of this show.

Another peculiarity is the choice of printing in three languages (Italian, English and Hebrew) both the exhibit information and the catalogue published by Campanotto Editore. The text includes a conversation with the Chief Rabbi of Venice, Rav Scialom Bahbout, who comments: "When you look at a picture, you get in connection with the past. In our case with the “Recent Past”, through the shots by Graziano Arici. And it is nice to find in these photos some of the history of the people who have lived here not long ago. Some of them are still with us, others remain thanks to these moments turned into images. (...) The photos presented here are already undoubtedly historical, showing some of the changes that occurred in recent years.

(from the exhibit catalogue).

This shorter time frame than the celebrated 500 years, makes it easier for us to notice the signs of the changes in Venice now affecting even the Ghetto, though in much more slowly and for sure in a more respectful way compared to other Venetian areas.

Born in Venice, Arici has documented the cultural and artistic life of the Serenissima with numerous reportages and publications, among them an important book published in the Nineties about the Ghetto, where he has lived for decades before moving to France.
The crowning glory of his work is the archive of over 850,000 images which includes a rich section dedicated to the Venice Ghetto, the Fenice Theater, the Biennale, and endless cultural events. Arici has worked extensively with the photographic agency Grazia Neri in Milan and, earlier, Sygma in Paris, and he is now directing the Rosebud2 Agency. His reports have been published in prestigious international magazines. Among his most recent exhibits are “Venezia: the Culture of the World in Portraits” (2016) hosted in Moscow and Kazakistan, and “Venice Sunset” (2016) held at the ENS in Lyon, France.

"Recent Past" views the Ghetto as a place of the heart, besides its historical, cultural, spiritual importance.

Museo Ebraico Venezia / Jewish Museum of Venice

Cannaregio, 2902, 30121 Venezia
tel +39 041715359

www.museoebraico.it

Opening hours: until September 30th, 2016: 10 am-7 pm; from October 1st, 2016: 10 am-5:30 pm .
Closed on Saturdays and Jewish festivities

Entrance fee included in the Museum ticket

Curated by: ThaumArt Gallery
Ponte del Ghetto Vecchio, Cannaregio 1190, Venezia

tel +39 3408798327
www.thaumart.com

Set-up Project: Magda Di Siena Studio

www.magdadisiena.com

Coordinator
Francesco Trevisan Gheller, Coopculture

With the collaboration of

Campanotto Editore