Venice, philanthropist Berggruen buys Palazzo Diedo. It will host exhibitions and artist residencies

Philanthropist Nicolas Berggruen has announced that he will purchase the historic Palazzo Diedo in Venice ’s Cannaregio district to become the headquarters of Berggruen Arts & Culture. The initiative is part of his plan to promote the work of contemporary artists, to deepen the link between contemporary art and the past, and to make art accessible to the general public.

The building is currently being restored and will be purchased by the Nicolas Berggruen Charitable Trust to host exhibitions, including works from Berggruen’s personal collection, installations, symposia, as well as the artist-in-residence program. Kicking off the artist-in-residence project will be Sterling Ruby who will create the multi-year installation A Project in Four Acts. The first phase of the latter will be a relief structure that rests on the facade of the building and will remain visible from April 20 for the duration of the 59th Venice Biennale, until November 2022. In parallel with the start of the work, Ruby will set up two outdoor installations between late 2022 and late spring 2023. The final phase will include a residency concluding with an exhibition at Palazzo Diedo as part of the official opening in spring 2024.

Berggruen Arts & Culture’s artistic director, however, will be Mario Codognato, an internationally renowned contemporary art curator who was chief curator of MADRE in Naples and director of the Anish Kapoor Foundation in Venice. “Like Nicolas, I believe in art that speaks to the public, causes us to think differently and triggers discussions, and I believe that the city of Venice has not only a past but also a future as one of the world’s great crossroads of art and ideas,” he commented. Venetian architect Silvio Fassi is overseeing the restoration of the palace, which will officially open in 2024 to coincide with the Venice Biennale.

“Having a deep love for Venice, I have long wanted to create a place where art could be inspired by the city and created in the city,” said Nicolas Berggruen. "We are excited to now realize this dream by renovating Palazzo Diedo, a magnificent building long associated with one of Venice’s historic families, and making it accessible to the general public as the home of the Berggruen Arts & Culture initiative. We look forward to seeing innovative artists from the city and from all over the world come to Palazzo Diedo to create new works and propose new ideas, restoring Venice’s importance as a place of artistic creation."

"It is an extraordinary honor to be chosen as the first artist-in-residence at Berggruen Arts & Culture, to work with Palazzo Diedo and to be part of Nicolas’ ambitious vision," added Sterling Ruby. “During the restoration over the next few years, the installation I envisioned will change with the building, expressing and also commenting on what it means to work for a palace with a very long history, and reflecting in a direct, concrete way the traditions of creating art and craft that are integral to Venice.”

The three-story 18th-century Palazzo Diedo is the second historic building purchased by Nicolas Berggruen Charitable Trust in Venice, after the Casa dei Tre Oci on Giudecca, the Berggruen Institute’s main European headquarters. In April and June 2022, Berggruen Arts & Culture will present a series of conversations with artists at the Casa dei Tre Oci in collaboration with ArtReview.

Image: Palazzo Diedo. Photo © Alessandra Chemollo, courtesy of Berggruen Arts & Culture.

Venice, philanthropist Berggruen buys Palazzo Diedo. It will host exhibitions and artist residencies

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