MARTA SPAGNOLI
Born in 1994, Marta Spagnoli is an artist who lives and works in Venice. Originally from Verona, not far from the lagoon city, she chose to settle here after studying at the Academy of Fine Arts. With its water and suspended time, the city seems to reflect not only the buildings but also her intimacy. Chosen by the prestigious Galleria Continua – with locations in San Gimignano, Beijing, Les Moulins, Havana, Rome, Sao Paulo, and Paris – Marta Spagnoli is the author of the painting Pilgrims, which is displayed in the room of our headquarters at Palazzo Corner Spinelli on the Grand Canal. We spoke with the artist about Venice, art, and her poetic vision.
You are not from Venice, but you live and work here. How long have you been in Venice?
I’m from Verona, but I’ve been living in Venice for about ten years now. I chose it.
How did you end up here?
I came to attend university because I had chosen the Academy of Fine Arts. I’ve always had an inclination for art, ever since I was very young, and I followed a very linear path. I did my artistic studies at high school in Verona and then continued them here, where I specialized in painting.
What made you stay once you finished the Academy?
I must say I didn’t have any major doubts. I didn’t expect to stay this long, but in fact, Venice is a very rich cultural environment: there are big events and major exhibitions, but there is also an underground scene, very fertile, made up of young artists, some of whom are my colleagues, who stayed here after university.
Venice has always attracted many artists. What do you think is the main reason?
There are several reasons, in my opinion. It depends on the very structure of the city, the fact that it is by the sea, and despite its small size, it regularly becomes a world stage with the Biennale and many other events. At the same time, it also has moments of stillness, which I really love. It’s impossible to experience frenzied activity in the city. Everything takes time, and that means it’s human-scale. I love this duality of being an international city on one hand and a place that allows you to enjoy contemplative moments on the other.
In Venice, you often get the feeling that time is stretched…
It’s a strange feeling, yes, and I think it’s something that comes through strongly in my work because this idea of time dilation, of temporal suspension, also reflects my nature as an artist. I need this slowness; maybe it’s not always functional, but it’s essential for me.
And what is your relationship with Venice’s water?
You always see it: in Venice, there’s a humid, dense atmosphere. And also, these mirrored images that get broken by the passing of something and become fragmented, the light that’s always diffused, the vaporous quality of it all—these things have had a huge impact on my work. In fact, I believe my images are a very fragmented narrative, conveying this sense of suspension typical of Venice.
Let’s say you’re inspired by what’s around you, as is only natural…
Yes, I react a lot; I have a strong connection with the natural environment, with the idea of nature, and Venice has its own unique version of that. I come from Verona, a place with fields, land, and trees, but here in Venice, there’s much less of all that, so my reaction to nature is inevitably aquatic.
You are represented by Galleria Continua, a major institution. How does that make you feel?
It’s an incredible satisfaction. We met and got to know each other when I was still finishing university, and now it’s been five years that I’ve been working with them. Thanks to them, I was catapulted from an academic setting to a much broader one. The impact was amazing. I always say that I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else, neither in my career nor in my collaborations.
Not many can say that…
It was a big challenge for me, which I gladly accepted. It’s an internationally renowned gallery that allows me to do what I want, which is to continue my research.
Michelangelo Ravagnan, founder of Ravagnan’s | Forbes Global Properties, chose one of your paintings to decorate the offices of his agency at Palazzo Corner Spinelli. It’s called Pilgrims. Can you tell us about this piece?
I always start with a drawing, which is an almost filament-like, dancing mark that then takes on different forms. Having this interest in the natural world, the mark often becomes organic, vegetal, or animal. In Michelangelo’s canvas, there are two central human figures. It’s a 2021 piece, part of a series of works that focuses on the idea of the naked body juxtaposed with the nakedness of the earth. It’s a reflection on cultural and spiritual belonging to the earth.
Is this dimension something you explore in all your works or specifically in this one?
In general, I like to investigate the human tendency to have a mythical mindset, to create stories and images that help impose order, represent, or ward off. This human process, from an anthropological perspective, really interests me. As humans, we need a mythical story to help us face the context we live in, and this attitude transcends the centuries.
Your poetic vision is very intimate…
What interests me is working with an inner imagination.
Which sestiere do you live in, in Venice?
Cannaregio.
What are your three favorite spots in the city?
Oh, that’s a tough question! I’d say the Rialto market because I’ve always liked markets, and this one is really a celebration. If I want to take a nice walk, I go to the Lido and walk along the seafront, and for me, that’s one of the luxuries of living in Venice. And I also love going to Torcello, especially in November, with its autumn atmosphere.
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