Joan Fontcuberta: Cultura di polvere

Palazzo Fortuny presents “Cultura di polvere” by Catalan artist Joan Fontcuberta as part of ICCD Artists in Residence program that each year creates a dialogue within the museum’s collections and a contemporary photographer.

During his residence in Venice Fontcuberta has chosen to deal with deteriorated materials to question both the photographs object itself and the subject represented focusing on glass plates from Francesco Chigi’s collection, the artist reinterprets these plates, marked by molds, cracks, and bacteria, turning them into new, captivating landscapes.

The 12 photographs are showcased using light boxes, creating a series of large backlit images that emerge like apparitions in the dimly lit space. The immersive exhibition features alongside the photographs gelatin-coated glass plates from the early 20th century, originating from the Chigi Fonds, providing insight into the artist’s transformative process.