Wallace Chan: Mythos

The exhibition “Mythos” features a series of titanium sculptures by artist Wallace Chan, installed in the loggia of the Scala Contarini del Bovolo and within the palace rooms, accompanied by immersive acoustic scenographies. On the first floor, suspended sculptures take inspiration from Jacopo Tintoretto’s 16th-century work “Mercurio e le Tre Grazie”. Chan reimagines the Graces as three abstract faces in constant motion, departing from traditional iconography to reflect beauty as a spiritual and mental pursuit. Mercury is portrayed as the planet of the same name, while nearby sculptures represent the deity’s attributes: the caduceus and the winged petasos.

On the second floor, three hanging sculptures respond to Tintoretto’s “Paradiso”, echoing the celestial beings depicted in the painting. The space is filled with sound recordings of the artist working with titanium, presented as music to align with the Biennale’s theme, “In Minor Keys”. A second room contains a freestanding iron and titanium sculpture featuring a large quartz crystal, surrounded by speakers broadcasting a poetic monologue narrated by Chan. The exhibition explores the relationship between mythology, astronomy, and philosophy. This theme resonates with the venue’s history, as the astronomer Wilhelm Tempel discovered a comet and a nebula from this site in 1859. The staircase itself serves as a metaphor for a stratified, interconnected cosmo.