Rubelli participates in the 59th Venice Biennale d’Arte

Rubelli, the Venetian family company now in its fifth generation, has always linked itself to the world of art and culture by supporting museums and young designers from various countries, organizing exhibitions and events in Italy and abroad. Their textile creations, in particular, have decorated world-famous theatres and museums such as La Fenice in Venice, La Scala in Milan, Albertina in Vienna, just to name a few.

Rightly considered to be one of the most important companies in the international interior design scene, Rubelli group has now contributed two significant installations to the rich programme of collateral events that are running alongside the 59^th edition of the Venice Biennale d’Arte.

The first installation is for the show titled ‘Brigitte Niedermair – Me and Fashion 1996-2018’ curated by Charlotte Cotton. It is particularly fitting at the Palazzo Mocenigo, Venice’s Museum and Study Centre of the History of Textiles, Costumes and Perfumes, much of which was also restored by Rubelli. The installation is a transformation of one of Neidermair’s most iconic photos that appeared in the 24^th issue of Dior magazine into a spectacular 6 X 8 metre lampas tapestry. The photo was subdivided into six parts and the corresponding woven panels were hand-sewn to form a perfect textile puzzle. The overall weight of the textile is approximately 60 Kilos with each individual panel consisting more than 60,000 weft threads.

The second installation ‘Loom’ is by artist Marcela Cernadas in partnership with Galleria Michela Rizzo. It is displayed at Ca’ Pisani Rubelli in the rooms of the Rubelli showroom and historical archives. The work on display extends throughout the building’s façade, the historical archive and the showroom. The installation ‘without beginning or end’ alludes to the cyclical nature which is another constant in the artist’s work. The embroidery, collage and frottage on display are made with carefully selected fabrics from the new Rubelli collection and create a ‘constellation of petals’: garden, sky, garland, cartouche – in Cernadas’ words.

These two highly significant collaborations seal Rubelli’s long-standing bond with contemporary art and the city of Venice from which the company has operated for 130 years.