About the Exhibition

 

Coinciding with the 60th edition of La Biennale di Venezia, Belgian contemporary artist Arne Quinze and globally acclaimed American music producer Swizz Beatz will present an immersive exhibition fusing Quinze’s large-scale site-specific sculptures, saturated within an ethereal acoustic environment and soundscapes by Swizz Beatz. On view from April 20 – November 24, 2024, ‘Are We The Aliens_’ marks the first-ever contemporary show to debut in the historic 16thcentury church, San Francesco della Vigna, Venice. The exhibition will debut Quinze’s first-ever large- scale sculptures in glass and ceramic made in collaboration with master craftsmen Berengo Studio and Atelier Vierkant.

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Co-curated by Hervé Mikaeloff, independent art consultant and advisor of the Louis Vuitton Foundation, and Reiner Opoku, art consultant and agent, with support from the Ludwig Museum, Germany, ‘Are We The Aliens_’ is an immersive experience of our planet’s hidden aesthetics, poised as an intersensory transformative encounter where diverse artistic mediums converge. The title of the exhibition encourages thoughtful contemplation about society's growing detachment from nature, while the underscore (_) symbol, typically used as an interrogative mark in code and technology, prompts viewers to unravel and decode the narrative of our connection with nature.

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The sculptures, sonic soundscape creations, and light scenography form a distinctive sensory experience, offering a poignant and thought- provoking engagement with the beauty and awe of the natural world, signifying nature’s perfect harmony.

 

Swizz Beatz: “The process of marrying sound to art is a special one. Creating this sonic experience with Arne Quinze, every second is important, every sound has meaning, the combination takes you on a journey of expression. This will be a Sonic installation for the world to enjoy.”

 

Quinze: “My ultimate goal is to reawaken our sense of awe and appreciation for the natural world. In my journey through a wildflower-filled microcosm, ‘Ceramorphia’ reflects a decade of observing nature's transformative architecture. The work aspires to set out a blueprint to reshape cities

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© Anna Rosa Thomae