Catalonia in Venice: Llim

Organized by: Institut Ramon Llull
Curator: Oriol Fontdevila
Exhibitor: Lara Fluxà

Catalonia is part of the 59th International Art Biennale in Venice with an Official Collateral Event. The exhibition presents a project by artist Lara Fluxà which reflect on the “llim” (meaning “silt”) as a conceptual element: indeed, the silt, which is particularly linked to the lagoon of Venice and to the relationship of the city with water, is taken by the artist as a symbol of vitality and fragility.

The silt is described by philosopher Henry Bergon as an “élan vital”: an infinite sequence of transitions in which matter permanently changes state. Also, Donna Haraway presents the silt as a situated experience that has the notion of situated knowledge as a starting point.

A pump system installed on the bank of the San Pietro Canal draws up water to continuously feed the building of the Catalan exhibition at La Biennale di Venezia with matter from the canal bed. Inside, the circulation of the water clears up the extracted mud. After a few minutes, the water returns to the Venice water network.