Italia: Navigating Venezia.

Why Build a City "on water"?

There are two versions of how Venice became a city "built on water". One says invasions by Attila the Hun and Lombardy conquerors forced people to seek refuge in the lagoon that eventually becomes the City of Venice. The other version has the origins of Venice beginning 10km North on the island of Torcello where people inhabited the nearby lagoons well before the invasions. There was a booming industry for fish and salt that spurred the creation of the initial infrastructure of warehouses and buildings for the workers with the use of boats to travel and trade between the many islands on the lagoon. A combination of the booming industry and the fact that the harbour of Torcello silted up resulted in a spread of activity over to the region of Rialto which becomes the point from which Venice expands - now considered the center of Venice.

Venice is sinking...

And by 1mm-1.5mm per year.

Today, current inhabitants of Venice face the same challenges as their predecessors - problems related to the nature of the lagoon exacerbated by the Worldwide problem of climate change. There seems to be multiple conflicts of interest or a conundrum of what will sustain the economy yet also preserve the foundational beauty of the City.

The current challenges are flooding and foundational infrastructural deterioration from excess marine activity, industrial and agricultural waste and burgeoning tourism. Here we witness the double edged sword of creating a marvel. Everyone is invited to Venice and most accept the invitation - and with successful lobbying by the locals, the arrival won't be by cruise ship.

In this video, "Venice Backstage: How does Venice work?", we learn how the City manages to coexist with the increasingly corrosive ebb and flow of the lagoon. The Venetians are constantly filling, repairing and bolstering what is crumbling, overflowing or sinking. What was once a canal becomes a street. And this constant reinvention of itself has gone on for years in tandem with the City's other dedication to reinvention - art.

The situation is dire and applying solutions NOW is critical. As a visitor/tourist, one can help by not contributing to the environmental strain and practicing "slow & sustainable tourism". There are several campaigns educating visitors on how to help.

How to Visit Venice Sustainably(and not be annoying - I think this is what they also really want to say...)

• Venice encourages visitors to use public transport
• Detourism Campaign: A campaign focused on seasonal and geographical distribution. What does that look like? Visit during off season and wander away from the well-trodden tourist routes
• Greener accommodation: minimize waste of energy and water use
• Be mindful not to block walkways while taking photographs
• Avoid guiding/organizing large groups through the narrow streets frequented by local residents. And make sure your large group doesn't block entrances to buildings
• Keep to the right when walking
• Hire professional local guides
• Consume traditional, local crafts from the artisan workshops and not the fakes

Artisan Venezia

Everywhere you look in Venice there is a poster announcing an artistic event or show - most with free entry. As you walk through the maze of calle (streets) you sometimes are invited to come inside to view a gallery just as you are invited to eat at a restaurant by eager hosts. In addition to galleries, there is a tradition of handmade and beautifully crafted items made by local artisans.

La Biennale di Venezia 2022

Since 1895, Venice has organized La Biennale di Venezia - an International Art Exhibition in which artists from around the World display their work. The exhibition not only includes art but also exhibits of architecture, music, dance, film and theatre.

This year's Biennale is titled "The Milk of Dreams". The title, chosen by curator Cecilia Alemania, comes from a book written by Surrealist, Lenora Carrington. In this book there "are stories of transformations and metamorphoses from human to animal and from mineral to machine. I wanted to take this celebration of coexistence as a leitmotif for my Biennale, which embarks on an imaginary journey through the metamorphoses of the body and definitions of the human.", says Alemania.

She was also inspired by philosophers that showed how we live in a post-human world which is that, the idea of the human as the center of the world, is now obsolete.

The Biennale focuses on three themes:

• The representation of bodies and their metamorphoses
• The relationship between individuals and technologies and
• The connection between bodies and the Earth

Sources: Interview of Cecilia Alemani by Sebastian Frenzel for a special issue of monopol magazine and La Biennale di Venezia official website

Tips for attending La Biennale di Venezia

• Pack a Snack: I lead with this tip because I'm always hungry. There are food venues inside the Arsenale and Giardini locations however, you might not want to have a meal there. We wanted to eat at a local Bacaro (which are located outside the ticketed area) thus delayed our grumbling stomachs from eating so we could see a few more exhibits. Why the trouble? - see the next point.
• No Re-Entry: Once your exit the ticketed Arsenale and/or Giardini locations, you cannot return. Your ticket guarantees only one entry to each location. So gather all your energies and prepare for a marathon of Art. Pack those snacks!
• Early Birds See the Art First: Get there early. At some venues, there are long lines for entry but they did move fast.
• Get the App: There are a couple apps out there with informations and maps of the Biennale events. Some only for iPhone. I did find a decent one that works on my Android mobile powered by Bloomberg Connects
• Discover the Affiliated Gallery Exhibitions throughout the City: Talk a walk around the City, get lost in the maze of tiny streets(calle) and soon enough you will find one of the many free exhibitions related to the Biennale and even others that aren't.

Venice Tips

• From June 2022, there might be a 10 euro entry fee to enter Venice
• Use the bag storage at your hotel or at a nearby hostel
• Wear comfortable shoes for lots of walking
• Get familiar with the 24hour clock