Of all cities, Venice is one of the most over-described and certainly the most over-depicted. Still, the “Venetian text” as a whole (both verbally and pictorially) remains fragmented, since it is mainly read through one’s own cultural optics. Russians search for the Venice of Brodsky; the French follow the Venice of Proust; for the British, John Ruskin still represents the Venice itself, etc. The talk will provide keys to reading Venice as a multilingual text. It will explore, both visually and verbally, the palimpsest nature of its topography, iconic art and architecture, with a special focus on Venetian myths and clichés as cultural metaphors.
Katya Margolis (Venice) is an artist, essayist, translator and illustrator of books of poetry and books for children, including Venetian Notebooks: Joseph Brodsky and Others (2002) and Joseph Brodsky’s Ballad of a Little Tugboat(2010). Her artwork has been featured in numerous solo and joint exhibitions in Europe, Russia and the U.S. In 2016, she was awarded the prestigious NOS Prize for her book Traces on Water (2015). She has also curated annual art exhibitions by children with serious health conditions (in partnership with the “Give Life Foundation”). Ms. Margolis is member of Consiglio Europeo d’Arte and a guest lecturer at the Scuola Internaziomale di Grafica di Venezia.