Art&Sustainability
Since 2013 one successful area of activity has been that concerning Art&Sustainability, realizing projects that stress the link between sustainability and the world of Art, which has close ties to both the City of Venice and some of the University’s main areas of research.
The projects engage a variety of actors - students, artists, professors and researchers, local and international community - and help increase awareness of global change issues and disseminate scientific knowledge, sharing solutions and research fields.
Mal d'Aria
october - december 2023
Ca' Foscari University of Venice, in partnership with the Iuav University of Venice, the University of Padua, the University of Verona and the artist Laura Pugno, winner of the Sustainable Art Prize 2022 organized by the Universities at the ArtVerona fair, implemented the "Mal d'Aria" art project.
By benefitting from the active involvement of the university and city community, the project created, through a series of thematic meetings, a performance and a final exhibition, a space for reflection on the issues caused by air pollution.
Bodies as infrastructures - The Venice Assembly
november 2022
Ca' Foscari University of Venice in partnership with the Post Disaster collective, winner of the Sustainable Art Prize 2021 organized by Sustainable Ca' Foscari at the ArtVerona fair, implemented the project "Bodies as infrastructures - The Venice Assembly" with Ca' Foscari students.
The project, focused on the theme of the relationship between infrastructures and bodies, questioned the nature of infrastructure, interpreted not only as physical structures but also as a social network. The project related to the main issues of the major global challenges, in line with the 17 goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development promoted by the UN.
Toward a Sustainable Attitude
6-8 october 2022
Together with NYU Tandon and Universität Bern, Ca’ Foscari hosts the international conference “Toward a Sustainable Attitude: Aesthetics, the Arts, and the Environment”. The conference investigates sustainability challenges from a philosophical and artistic perspective.
The call for papers is open until March 31, 2022.
Sustainable Art Prize
October 2022 - autumn 2023
Ca' Foscari University of Venice, in partnership with ArtVerona, set up the Sustainable Art Prize, a prize regarding sustainable topics, for artists who are taking part to ArtVerona. The aims of the project is to promote the sustainable development themes, by fostering a greater awareness and encouraging the commitment of the artists in this direction, trought the use of art as a potential instrument of diffusion and divulgation of the major global challenges themes, in line with the 17 goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
The winning artist will realise an artistic project in collaboration with Ca' Foscari, Iuav University of Venice, University of Padua and University of Verona, during the autumn 2023, involving actively the university students.
Waste Matters
September - December 2020
The international artist Gayle Chong Kwan is the winner of the Sustainable Art Prize 2019, which was organized by Sustainable Ca’ Foscari in collaboration with ArtVerona. Gayle will develop at Ca’ Foscari the project "Waste Matters" with the Ca’ Foscari community of students and academics.
The art project is connected to the 12th Goal of the 2030 Agenda of the United Nations for the Sustainable Development dedicated to "Responsible consumption and production" that aims to reflect on the value of food waste, while stimulating a debate on the importance of reducing waste in order to lessen our impact on the environment.
The Defensive City
March - October 2019
The Italian artist Paolo Ciregia was the winner of the Sustainable Art Prize 2018, which was organized by Sustainable Ca’ Foscari during the ArtVerona fair and introduced by the art gallery “L’Elefante”. Ca’ Foscari University collaborated with Paolo Ciregia in order to create the art installation “THE DEFENSIVE CITY. Barriere (im)percettibili nel contesto urbano contemporaneo” ( “THE DEFENSIVE CITY. (Im)perceptible barriers in the contemporary urban scenario”). The creation of the art installation has been enriched by public meetings and workshops for Ca’ Foscari students.
The aim of the art project was to stimulate a reflection on the coincidental, random and hidden barriers that work against the sustainable development of our cities. The artist uncovered and analysed the spread of this “urban decorations” that lead to marginalisation and that are imperceptible by our eyes but perceptible by our body.
The Republic of Wonders
22 May 2018
La Repubblica delle Meraviglie / The Republic of Wonders is the new project by art duo Vinci / Galesi. The artistic project was conceived after winning the Sustainable Art Prize 2017, which was launched by Ca 'Foscari University of Venice, within the Ca' Foscari Sustainable Program, in collaboration with ArtVerona and aA29 Project Room gallery.
Focusing around the concept of an utopic city, The Republic of Wonders has been a collective action and a traveling performance, which took place on May 22, from 5:30 p.m.. The goal of the performance was to raise awareness on sustainability issues, through the symbolic use of flowers.
The artists, together with the students who took part in the project, worked to design and publish a catalogue.
EARTH - two words on the future
10 - 27 October 2017
Ca' Foscari University of Venice, in partnership with the artists Ornella Ricca and Pietro Spagnoli, will realize the cultural project "EARTH - two words on the future" to increase awareness and the attention on topics related to the earth planet, by encouraging, through an artistic installation, a dialogue and a reflaction on the past, the present and the future of our Planet, with the involvement of the university community and the territory.
The project will include public events and workshops for students.
Participatory art against sex trafficking
16 May 2017
The project Participatory art against sex trafficking is an idea of Sara De Vido and Caludia Irti, professors in the Economic Department of Ca' Foscari University, to inform and increase awareness among the students and the community about sex trafficking, the human trafficking for sexual exploitation purposes.
The project involves students, who will realize a performance-conference, that will take place on 16 may 2017 in Aula Magna Trentin, in Ca' Dolfin. Students will work together to create the performance and will actively take part with actors and international speakers.
Fifteenpercent. Dialogue on disability in the world
2 December 2016 - 16 January 2017
From october 2016 to january 2017 the Ca' Foscari University of Venice realized the project “Fifteen percent – dialogue on disability in the world”, in partnership with the artist Christian Tasso and the cultural association Equality. This exhibition was meant to increase awareness on the rights of persons with disabilities and the importance of inclusion for a society sustainable development.
A photography exhibition was set up with photographs and video installations regarding the lives of people with disabilities from all over the world.
The project included public seminars and workshops for students.
Dancing Solar Flowers
7 May - 22 November 2015
“Dancing Solar Flowers” by Alexandre Dang was displayed in the Cortile Grande of Ca' Foscari University from 7 May until 22 November.
The project was developed in collaboration with the Ca' Foscari University of Venice and falls within the Sustainable Ca' Foscari program.
The artwork connects the scientific and artistic approach to encourage renewable energy knowledge and to increase awareness about sustainable problems and solutions. Alexandre Dang has developed a pedagogic aspect to his sustainable art, using it to educate young people about the potential of eco-friendly technologies with a focus on renewable energy.
The project connected some of the main research and teaching fields of Ca' Foscari and the students were actively involved in the communication and setting-up areas.
The Garbage Patch State
29 May - 24 November 2013
The Garbage Patch State project, realized in 2013 in the Ca' Foscari University headquarters, was a reflection and a provocation on the huge garbage patches in the oceans, that are growing every year. Maria Cristina Finucci the artist, realized a complex project, with an installation that has been displayed in Ca' Foscari main courtyard, during the 55° Biennale Arte.
The artist, in collaboration with Sustainable Ca' Foscari, decided to actively engaged students from Ca' Foscari University.
Last update: 06/11/2024