art and climate change
From 01.02 to 27.04.2025
Six contemporary artists united in a collective project to investigate the issue of climate change through the language of art. This is ‘Objective 13 – Art and Climate Change’, the exhibition held in the exhibition hall on the first floor of the eastern barchessa.
A theme, that of climate change, which – besides being extremely topical and the subject of political debate – closely touches the Villa Manin itself, which in recent years has suffered the effects of this change. The drought in the summer of 2023 in fact dried out the ponds in the Villa’s park, trapping the fish in small pools of water, which were then saved thanks to the intervention of the Regional Fish Protection Agency. Added to this was the felling over the past two years of fifty tall trees that, after years of prosperity, had not been able to survive the scorching temperatures of recent summers.
With a title inspired by the goal set out in the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the exhibition – organised by Erpac Fvg and curated by Giacomo Bassmaji and Linda Carello – draws attention not only to climate change (melting glaciers, pollution, deforestation, the effect of mass tourism, the suffering of ecosystems), but also to the actions needed to combat it.
The artists
Giovanni Betti and Katharina Fleck, both architects, bring to the exhibition a denunciation of the state of glaciers in Italy. Their work becomes a symbol of the complex and sometimes contradictory relationship between man and the natural environment and invites visitors to reflect on our responsibilities as a planetary species.
Roberto Ghezzi explores the landscape through his ‘Naturografie’ series, where nature itself leaves traces on the canvases, becoming a scientific and aesthetic record of the environment.
Maria Elisabetta Novello uses ash and works on the metaphor of fire understood as a powerful and destructive element, but also as a substance that ignites gazes, using art as a device of denunciation.
Laura Pozzar investigates the connection between life and death, exploring the environment and its vulnerabilities through a look at catastrophes beyond human control.
Finally, Giorgia Severi focuses on the impact of climate change in West Papua, where she studied the effects of tourism and pollution on marine and terrestrial ecosystems. Her works, created during her stay there, continue to evolve and will be part of an ongoing project until 2026.
In addition to the exhibition, a programme of meetings open to the public is planned between February and April to explore the themes developed by the artists.
