Present, (Venice mask). Plaster, Acrylic. 2013
Present, (Venice mask). 2013. Plaster, acrylic
Motivated by the work of Francis Alÿs, steve hines has created a location specific artwork for the 55th Venice Biennale, 2013. Faced with the reality of being unable to show work in arguably the world’s most famous and prestigious art event, hines conceived Present to address this lack and to integrate and create a dialogue with Venice, its history, traditions and its position as the host of the premier contemporary art event.
This ambitious project, that sees hines become a participant, (albeit unofficially), of the Biennale, without gallery or organisation representation and funding, also takes inspiration from Carnivale di Venezia, which is said to have begun in 1162. Centuries later in 1797, when Venice was under the rule of the King of Austria, the festival was outlawed and the wearing of masks was strictly forbidden. The carnival, (in a curious numerical re-ordering), was only revived in 1979 and today masks are a highly visible symbol in Venice and a popular commodity with the large number of visitors.
Masks have always been a key feature of the Venice Carnival. Traditionally, people were allowed to wear them between the festival of Santo Stefano, (St Stephen’s Day, 26th December), and the start of the carnival season at midnight of Shrove Tuesday. As masks were also allowed on Ascension Day and from October 5th to Christmas, people could spend a large part of the year in disguise. Mask-makers enjoyed a special position in society, with their own guild. Some perhaps see artists as a little different from the rest of society? hines’ own ‘mask’ resembles the Volto, (Italian for face), or Larva, (ghost in Latin), mask as it covers the entire face and unlike other traditional designs needs to be removed for eating.
It is left to the viewer to conclude if this is a wearable mask or a useless artwork for looking at rather than looking through. Usually, masks are worn as a disguise but in this case hines presents himself to the viewer. If the object is deemed a mask, then if someone else were to wear it then it would be the artist’s face that is visible. hines also wanted to present himself as an ordinary face, amongst the crowd yet paradoxically to be different from the crowd, (a position hines himself has always felt/experienced – ordinary, yet different). The prosaic face and features of an ordinary man situated amongst the array of spectacular, colourful and decorative carnival masks creates a striking inversion.
hines has made six masks, all from unique moulds, to create six original artworks, - one for each region of Venice. Each expression is slightly different, whilst essentially representing the same person. This also makes sense in terms of presence – we cannot be in six places at one time and so it seems out of place to propose the work as an edition or a series of copies. Viewers, tourists and residents may encounter the works at one of the many mask-makers, or specialist mask shops on the island where they will be present for the duration of the Biennale.
In February 2020 hines was contacted by the granddaughter of René Iché with a request to use the above image of Present in temporary dialogue with The mask of Breton on the official website dedicated to the life and work of the sculptor. Link here.
The artist would like to express sincere gratitude to the artist Oona Culley for her help with this production and to the mask makers and venue owners for providing exhibition space in Venice
Present locations in Venice: (click here for detailed maps)
FI.LE. Venice Art
1511 Rio Terà San Leonardo
next to Ponte delle Guglie
CANNAREGIO
Peter Pan di Franceschini Valentina (e-mail:[email protected])
Campo Santa Maria Mater Domini 2118
SANTA CROCE
Masks Venice, (www.masksvenice.com)
Ruga Rialto San Giovanni 777, (sometimes written as Ruga Vecchia San Giovanni)
close to Rialto Bridge
SAN POLO
La Canapiglia (link to facebook page)
Campo San Maurizio 2604
SAN MARCO
Ca' del Sol, (www.cadelsolmaschere.com)
Fondamenta Dell'Osmarin 4964
CASTELLO
MAX Studio, (www.maxstudio-venezia.it)
Venetian Art Gallery
Corner of Calle Gambara 1053
DORSODURO
Motivated by the work of Francis Alÿs, steve hines has created a location specific artwork for the 55th Venice Biennale, 2013. Faced with the reality of being unable to show work in arguably the world’s most famous and prestigious art event, hines conceived Present to address this lack and to integrate and create a dialogue with Venice, its history, traditions and its position as the host of the premier contemporary art event.
This ambitious project, that sees hines become a participant, (albeit unofficially), of the Biennale, without gallery or organisation representation and funding, also takes inspiration from Carnivale di Venezia, which is said to have begun in 1162. Centuries later in 1797, when Venice was under the rule of the King of Austria, the festival was outlawed and the wearing of masks was strictly forbidden. The carnival, (in a curious numerical re-ordering), was only revived in 1979 and today masks are a highly visible symbol in Venice and a popular commodity with the large number of visitors.
Masks have always been a key feature of the Venice Carnival. Traditionally, people were allowed to wear them between the festival of Santo Stefano, (St Stephen’s Day, 26th December), and the start of the carnival season at midnight of Shrove Tuesday. As masks were also allowed on Ascension Day and from October 5th to Christmas, people could spend a large part of the year in disguise. Mask-makers enjoyed a special position in society, with their own guild. Some perhaps see artists as a little different from the rest of society? hines’ own ‘mask’ resembles the Volto, (Italian for face), or Larva, (ghost in Latin), mask as it covers the entire face and unlike other traditional designs needs to be removed for eating.
It is left to the viewer to conclude if this is a wearable mask or a useless artwork for looking at rather than looking through. Usually, masks are worn as a disguise but in this case hines presents himself to the viewer. If the object is deemed a mask, then if someone else were to wear it then it would be the artist’s face that is visible. hines also wanted to present himself as an ordinary face, amongst the crowd yet paradoxically to be different from the crowd, (a position hines himself has always felt/experienced – ordinary, yet different). The prosaic face and features of an ordinary man situated amongst the array of spectacular, colourful and decorative carnival masks creates a striking inversion.
hines has made six masks, all from unique moulds, to create six original artworks, - one for each region of Venice. Each expression is slightly different, whilst essentially representing the same person. This also makes sense in terms of presence – we cannot be in six places at one time and so it seems out of place to propose the work as an edition or a series of copies. Viewers, tourists and residents may encounter the works at one of the many mask-makers, or specialist mask shops on the island where they will be present for the duration of the Biennale.
In February 2020 hines was contacted by the granddaughter of René Iché with a request to use the above image of Present in temporary dialogue with The mask of Breton on the official website dedicated to the life and work of the sculptor. Link here.
The artist would like to express sincere gratitude to the artist Oona Culley for her help with this production and to the mask makers and venue owners for providing exhibition space in Venice
Present locations in Venice: (click here for detailed maps)
FI.LE. Venice Art
1511 Rio Terà San Leonardo
next to Ponte delle Guglie
CANNAREGIO
Peter Pan di Franceschini Valentina (e-mail:[email protected])
Campo Santa Maria Mater Domini 2118
SANTA CROCE
Masks Venice, (www.masksvenice.com)
Ruga Rialto San Giovanni 777, (sometimes written as Ruga Vecchia San Giovanni)
close to Rialto Bridge
SAN POLO
La Canapiglia (link to facebook page)
Campo San Maurizio 2604
SAN MARCO
Ca' del Sol, (www.cadelsolmaschere.com)
Fondamenta Dell'Osmarin 4964
CASTELLO
MAX Studio, (www.maxstudio-venezia.it)
Venetian Art Gallery
Corner of Calle Gambara 1053
DORSODURO
