The Horse Would Know, But The Horse Can’t Talk

The show space inside the prestigious 16th century palazzo in the heart of Venice, home to the storied Venetian family Querini Stampalia, and to its namesake Foundation, framed the artwork created by the five artists participating in the third edition of the Premio Querini -FURLA per l’arte award.
The five finalists – Marcello Maloberti, Ottonella Mocellin, Adrian Paci, Daniele Puppi and Sissi – were selected by a high-profile national jury among 50 names presented to the jury by 10 art critics, who conducted a meticulous and in-depth research across the Italian art scene. The result was a mix of both established and emerging names. A high-profile international jury ultimately selected the winner of the Award – Sissi.
Curated by Chiara Bertola, the mission of Premio Querini -FURLA per l’arte was to document, enhance and sustain up-and-coming Italian artists, as well as to raise the international visibility of the country’s talent. As with past editions, the artists participating in the award represented the multiple languages and mediums that characterize the contemporary art scene: videos, photography, painting, installations and performances, alongside conceptually inspired sculptures.
German artist Lothar Baumgarten conceived the images that accompanied the event, creating a tongue-in-cheek play on words: The horse would know, but the horse can’t talk, a reflection on the impossibility to judge an artist. As for his involvement, Baumgarten follows in the footsteps of his predecessors Joseph Kosuth and Ilya Kabakov, serving as a “godfather” for both the award and the artists.