If you visit the beautiful city of Venice you will now see another, albeit temporary, reminder of the city’s intimate relationship with water:
…a giant pair of hands reaching out of the Grand Canal and appearing to support the walls of the historic Ca’ Sagredo Hotel.
The installation, by Italian sculptor Lorenzo Quinn, was unveiled on May 13 for the 57th International Art Exhibition of the Venice Biennale.
It is meant to be a warning of the existential threat faced by cities like Venice due to rising sea levels as well as a call to action.
This is a reminder that we, like the pair of giant white hands, can play a role in slowing global warming. Quinn made the sculpture in his Barcelona studio using an ancient method known as “lost-wax casting”.
The installation is meant to bring both desperation and hope. Of course, Venice isn’t the only iconic destination under grave threat from a warming planet but this city all of Venice will be completely underwater by 2100, as the Mediterranean Sea is expected to rise by up to 55 inches until that time.
