Arcangelo Sassolino – Room 02
A site-specific intervention 

IN COLLABORATION WITH 21ART AND GALLERIA CONTINUA 

ARCANGELO SASSOLINO’S PRACTICE BRINGS INDUSTRIAL MATERIALS INTO CONTACT WITH FORCE, TENSION, AND MECHANICS, PUSHING THEM TOWARD THE LIMITS OF THEIR RESISTANCE. IN ROOM 02, THAT PRACTICE MEETS VENICE AT WATER LEVEL. 

THE INTERVENTION GIVES PHYSICAL FORM TO A POSTVENETIAN IDEA: THE HISTORIC CITY BECOMES MATERIAL FOR CONTEMPORARY CREATION. 

The Room as Starting Point 

INHABITING ROOM 02 WAS DECISIVE FOR SASSOLINO. HE FOUND THE CANAL OUTSIDE A GENTLE YET LOOMING PRESENCE. HIS TIME IN THE ROOM WAS ACCOMPANIED BY A BACKGROUND SOUND, AN ALMOST MAGICAL LIGHT, AND THE HISTORY SETTLED INTO THAT CORNER OF THE PALAZZO. BEFORE HE HAD FULLY RATIONALIZED THE IMPULSE, HE WANTED TO MAKE THE LIGHT, THE REFLECTIONS ON THE WATER, AND THE SOUNDS HIS MATERIAL, CARRYING THEM INTO SCULPTURE. 

The Hug

AT THE ROOM’S ENTRANCE, THE HUG (L’ABBRACCIO) IS A VERTICAL WOODEN CYLINDER CINCHED WITH MOORING LINES. A MECHANISM INSIDE DRAWS THEM TO MAXIMUM TENSION. AS SOMEONE APPROACHES, A SENSOR ACTIVATES THE WORK; THE LINES SLIDE AGAINST THE WOOD, AND FRICTION BECOMES SOUND. 

THE WORK RECALLS A FAMILIAR VENETIAN SOUND: THAT OF MOORED BOATS, LINES PULLED BY THE WATER AGAINST WOODEN POSTS, AND THE TENSIONS CREATED BY THE MOVEMENT OF THE LAGOON. IN VENICE, THAT SOUND IS THE FIRST PERCEIVED ON ARRIVAL AND OFTEN THE LAST BEFORE DEPARTURE, DEEPLY ROOTED IN THE DAILY EXPERIENCE OF THE CITY AND IN THE MEMORY OF THOSE WHO PASS THROUGH IT. 

“I WAS FASCINATED BY THE IDEA THAT A HOTEL — THE PLACE OF PASSAGE PAR EXCELLENCE — ALWAYS HAS TWO FUNDAMENTAL MOMENTS: ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE, THE FIRST GREETING AND THE PARTING.” 

Light and Water   

FURTHER INTO THE ROOM, AN ARRAY OF GLASS SHEETS, CONCEIVED BY SASSOLINO AS A KALEIDOSCOPE, A FILTER, AND A LENS, REFRACTS AND AMPLIFIES LIGHT FROM THE GRAND CANAL THROUGH THE SPACE.

IN ONE OF HIS CEMENTO WORKS, SOLID, HEAVY CONCRETE TAKES ON THE DELICACY AND MOVEMENT OF WAVES ON WATER.