THE ARTISTIC PROJECT FOR CHRISTMAS 2015 ‘VENICE: POETRY AND LIGHT’ PRESENTED

The Associazione Piazza San Marco called it ‘a gift of light and poetry that accompanies us from Calle Larga XXII Marzo to St Mark’s Square in a promenade that is like leafing through a book step by step’. The ‘gift’ is the ‘Venice: poetry and light’ project, which will offer a stirring Christmas in the St Mark’s area: a weave of visual arts and poetry. The event was presented this afternoon at a crowded press conference in the Sala Borsa at the Chamber of Commerce attended by the city councillor Paola Mar, the artist Marco Nereo Rotelli, the poet Loreto Rafanelli, the president of the Associazione Piazza San Marco Alberto Nardi and the artistic curators of the event Giovanna Zabotti and Stefano Stipitivic. The secretary general of the Venice Chamber of Commerce Roberto Crosta did the honours. On this occasion Mr Nardi wanted to point out that the ‘Venice: poetry and light’ project is part ‘of a wider project to upgrade St Mark’s Square and its surrounds, planned by the association since its foundation, in total collaboration with the city’s authorities’. Mr Nardi said that such an event is not a single episode but ‘a start to give a high profile image to the St Mark’s area, which the city has need of’. All the talks emphasised the importance of the event and the feelings it may arouse in all those who walk along Calle XXII Marzo and through St Mark’s Square. A project of art, emotion and peace. The programme is divided into two parallel experiences: an artistic project by Marco Nereo Rotelli and a twelve-metre tall tree that will be nourished by the positive thoughts of each one of us. Evocative light projections by Rotelli will flood the walls of the St Mark’s area with poems by 83 contemporary poets who wanted to dedicate these to Venice, starting with one by Mario Luzi entitled ‘I Trillo’, which will light up all of Calle XXII Marzo through to St Mark’s Square. The church of San Moisè was also to have been lit up but the Soprintendenza surprisingly denied its permission. The Christmas tree, in Piazzetta dei Leoncini, will become ‘the tree of words’ and, taking up a Shinto tradition, will be decorated with wooden tablets written by Venetian calligraphers and containing the lines of the 83 poems by world famous artists. The public can also contribute by writing their thoughts onto tablets that can be found in the shops in the St Mark’s area. It must be noted that a good 133 businesses responded to the Associazione Piazza San Marco’s request and contributed to the collection of funds to organise this wonderful artistic Christmas 2015. Finally, at 6 pm, as usual, all the participants drank a toast to Christmas 2015 with the Associazione Piazza San Marco at the Caffè Lavena. The photos show some moments at the press conference and the Christmas toast at the Caffè Lavena. Other interesting articles at the following links: http://www.venezianews.it/index.php?option=com_events&task=view_detail&agid= 26889&Itemid=338 https://it.notizie.yahoo.com/marco-nereo-rotelli-illumina-venezia-con-versi- di-171516113.html http://events.veneziaunica.it/it/content/poesia-e-luce "Luci a Venezia", a great programme transmitted by TGTG on 18 December 2015: https://youtu.be/U7kShr4hdfc?list=PL6AqvbxnE8H7TlLfymxkh3A-U-bF-vIYp Marco Nereo Rotelli trasforma Venezia in una città di parole