Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
ART, ANTIQUES & COLLECTIBLE ODDITIES
If there's one piece of kitsch that's worth considering, it has to be the striking
Calendario dei Gondolieri (Calendar of the Gondoliers) available at just about
every souvenir cart in town since 2002. The calendars are the brainchild of Piero
Pazzi, and while they may not be Pirelli standard, the black-and-white images of
12 dashing young oarsmen will certainly remind you of your stay. Try the stands
on the Dorsoduro side of the Accademia Bridge.
Dorsoduro is popping with art galleries and showrooms; at BAC Art Studio
(S. Vio, Dorsoduro 862; % 041-5228171; www.bacart.com) you can see posters
being manufactured on the in-store press. Among the many lovely prints and
original paintings, you'll find a large number of homoerotic angels by the artist
Baruffaldi, and surreal images of the bespectacled bald man repeatedly painted by
David Dalla, whose work is exhibited widely around the world.
I'm usually suspicious of gallery stores, but the Museum Shop ( % 041-
2405410; shop@guggenheim-venice.it) attached to the Peggy Guggenheim
Collection (and directly managed by it) stocks some unique items. Besides the
expected spate of arty reproductions, clever souvenirs, and elegant books (including
an excellent children's guide to Venice), this is the place to pick up a pair of Peggy
Guggenheim sunglasses, manufactured by Sàfilo, as well as a pair of leather open-
toed sandals, manufactured by Rossimoda in gold and silver, and based on Ms.
Guggenheim's very own design. For real Peggy G. fans, the shop also stocks copies
of the millionaire's memoirs, Out of this Century—Confessions of an Art Addict.
For visitors who take their art far less seriously than Ms. Guggenheim did,
there's Art for Serious People (Ramo dei Fuseri, San Marco 1862; % 0415239884;
www.dinodezorzi.com), where the emphasis is on getting a smile from passersby.
The artist here is Dino de Zorzi, the London-born son of a gondolier. Dino works
in Venice for most of the year, and attempts to paint with “the eyes of an adult
and the hands of a child.” His three-dimensional idiosyncratic artworks combine
acrylic and silicone on wood, and though they make no pretense to be high art,
they are delightful and fun, just like their creator.
If you are after more serious, collectible works, Venezia, le stampe (Calle
Teatro Goldoni, San Marco 4606/B; % 041-5234318) stocks a formidable range of
antique prints, including original historic maps of Venice, etchings of palazzi, and
architectural motifs.
One of the more unusual stores in Venice is Forma (Campo San Rocco, San
Polo 3044; % 041-5231794; 10am-6:30pm), promoting itself as the “Jurassic
Shop.” Forma stocks fossils, precious rocks, and geological finds, and also such
bizarrely ornamental collectibles as crocodile skulls and butterflies. Perhaps it's
strictly for collectors, but if you have a bent for archaeology, you'll find the store
fascinating and well worth a look-see while you're near the Frari.
BOOKS
Libreria Mondadori (San Marco 1345; % 041-5222193) is the largest bookstore
in Venice, and can easily keep you browsing for hours; there's an excellent selec-
tion of tomes on the city, its history, and its art. Cultural events and book talks
are occasionally held in the store's events area. Its management also often sets up
Search WWH ::




Custom Search