photograph and copyright by Manfredi Bellati
Venice: The National Marciana Library - Liselotte Hohs - Animal Magnetism exhibition. Until September 30th in the Monumental Rooms of The Marciana National Library in Piazza San Marco, Liselotte Hohs who is Viennese by birth but Venetian by vocation and whose life and works are deeply intertwined with the amphibious city presents a retrospective exhibition which includes her new carpet collection entitled, Animal Magnetism. In this major exhibition, the artist shows her inner empathy with the animal world by using natural materials for her works of art: sheep wool carpets knotted by Tibetan craftsmen in India, escaped from persecutions, who share the same world view of Liselotte, a non-anthropocentric view respectful towards any kind of living beings.
Above. Leone Blu, the San Marco Lion leads the way to the exhibition in this grandiose setting designed by Jacopo Sansovino and built between 1537 and 1553.
Good Luck. A detail of the Good Luck carpet inspired by the marzipan wedding cake Liselotte bought in Toledo for the wedding of Manfred and Caroline.
photograph and copyright by Manfredi Bellati
Bob. Below an oil painting of Venice is the Bob carpet.
Gatti Sul Cimetero di Vetro. Cats on a Glass Cemetery, painted on Venini glass.
Colombina Bizantina. The Byzantine Dove 'flies" over the a pattern which resembles a marble or mosaic Venetian floor.
Campi Di Venezia. Lithograph from The Squares of Venice series. When, as an eighteen-year-old, Liselotte Höhs arrived in Venice, she fell in love with the city at first sight. Mozart's friend the Viennese doctor Mesmer, writing in the early 19th century, would have classified this fatal attraction as "animal magnetism", and explained it through the mysterious energetic fluid which enshrouds the whole universe and its living beings. Like Mesmer, Liselotte Höhs is convinced that there are forces and energies beyond those which are known to the exact sciences, secret interactions occuring between humans and other beings. It's no coincidence that she fell in love with Venice, the city which has spontaneously grown in the shape of a fish, she was even born under the sign of Pisces.
Timbuctu. Timbuctu, the barking dog.
The press conference # 1. La Marciana's Marcello Brusegan, the publisher of Les Editions du Regard, Jose Alvarez and the vice director of the Marciana Library, Maurizio Messina attended the intimate and charming press conference was held in a circle.
The press conference # 2. Manfred Manera who writes in the beautiful catalogue "The concept of animal magnetism refers to an non-anthropocentric world view, which considers animals not as subordinates but as models. This is the reason we say "brave like a lion", "tame like a dog", eyes like a hawk"' etc.."
Sibilla. A detail of Sibilla the cat carpet. "These works have a special whimsy and humor that is very much part of her way of looking at the world." Barbara Rose, art historian.
Curator, Mimi Kilgore and photographer Manfredi Bellati.
Garibaldi. The textile mosaic, Garibaldi was part of an exhibition to mark the centenary of Giuseppe Garibaldi's death.
Note. The flag in the background is an original Italian flag from 1882. Also note the animals ever present in Liselotte's art.
The Wine. The wine, Castello di Roncade's Merlot Piave, was photographed against the Public Statuary in the vestibule of the Libreria Sansovino.
A Bao Aqu. A Bao Aqu rests on a background which is reminiscent of the mosaic floors seen in the churches of Venice.
The opening. In the grandiose vestibule of the Libreria Sansovio of the Marciana Library where the Public Archeology collection is displayed a small talk was given before the opening. Sitting down noted art dealer Dorothea Van der Koelen.