CHRISTMAS 2015: THE ‘VENICE: POEMS AND LIGHTS’ PROJECT PRESENTED IN ST MARK’S SQUARE

The ‘Venice: Poems and Lights’ project planned by the Associazione Piazza San Marco with the Comune di Venezia was presented this evening at a crowded press conference in the historic Caffè Florian in St Mark’s Square. Alberto Nardi, the association’s president, opened the meeting pointing out that St Mark’s Square is the heart and pride of the city and that this Christmas it will not only have beautiful lights but also some installations and various artistic activities that will make the Square and adjacent streets even more the heart of Venice. Nardi then noted that there is now a need to relaunch the city and to talk positively about Venice and ended by saying ‘I am sick of reading in the newspapers that Venice is dying, I would like to read instead that the city is reborn and wants to live’. Nardi then handed over to the artist Marco Nereo Rotelli, who has set up various artistic light installations in the St Mark’s area. Rotelli noted the importance of practising art, as in this case, in public spaces. He sees the beautiful light installations as ‘the light of sentiment where people can relive places with astonishment’. As well as the light installations, Rotelli mentioned the event represented by 83 poems written by 83 world famous poets who wanted to take part in this Christmas bringing a hymn to Venice. The poems have been transcribed onto 83 panels that will be placed on the illuminated Christmas tree set up as usual in the Piazzetta dei Leoncini. The last talk, before the Christmas toast and the official turning on of the lights, was that of the mayor Luigi Brugnaro, who thanked all those present, the Associazione Piazza San Marco and all the police forces who ensure security in Venice. Brugnaro then dwelt on some of his favourite subjects such as the metropolitan city, the hope of having some economic assistance from Rome, considering the fact that Venice costs 80 million euros more than a normal Italian city because of its special nature and, a question dear to the Associazione Piazza San Marco, he asserted the need to waterproof the Square to prevent the constant flooding even with low-medium high tides and the Sistema Mose in operation.