KOEN VANMECHELEN

Looking for the Ark

A diptych on two iconic locations

reflecting humanity's journey

A call to reimagine our world

Looking for the Ark

Out of the pool of the Venice Pavilion rises a 2-meter-tall child, grasping a bronze anchor with glass chain. "Looking for the Ark" serves as a beacon of hope and steadfastness. The sculpture anchors future generations in the depths of heritage and history while looking towards the horizon of possibility.

Noah's Ark

At Venice Airport Marco Polo (VCE), Koen Vanmechelen presents ‘Noah’s Ark’, a contemporary interpretation of the iconic Venetian water bus — the Vaporetto — transformed into a floating gallery. This vessel, carrying a microcosm of our world, serves as a call to reimagine our world.

About the artist

Internationally renowned contemporary artist, Koen Vanmechelen (BE, 1965) works at the confluence of art, science, philosophy and social engagement. Best known for his Cosmopolitan Chicken Project, Vanmechelen connects the seemingly unconnected in an effort to investigate, understand and document how we can bring about positive, practical impact on our moment in time and space.

'Looking for the Ark’ stands as a beacon of reflection in the city of water and wonder, beckoning artists, thinkers, and viewers alike to embark on a journey through art and the very core of what it means to be human. In Venice, a city perpetually on the brink of yesterday and tomorrow, the artworks offers a journey into the soul of humanity - a voyage across the seas of time, consciousness, and collective memory.

Koen Vanmechelen, artist

Colophon

Artist: Koen Vanmechelen

in collaboration with Berengo Studio

Special thanks to the city of Venice

Credits

Studio Koen Vanmechelen

Berengo Studio

Find out more about who made this project possible