Art and its languages: exhibitions ‘Stitched Cosmos’ and ‘Metamorphosis’ open at Ca’ Foscari

Ca’ Foscari University of Venice consolidates its role as a cultural and scientific hub by hosting two major international exhibitions. These initiatives, which bring together different forms of artistic expression, will transform the university’s spaces into venues for critical reflection and innovation.

On 6 May , Ca’ Foscari’s main building will host the opening of Stitched Cosmos, a solo exhibition by 2026 Guggenheim Fellow Jennifer West, curated by the duo Francesco Urbano Ragazzi in collaboration with Ca’ Foscari University. Open to the public from 7 May to 6 July, the project stems from the artist’s extensive research into the archives of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics.

Through a site-specific installation that reimagines the palace’s ground floor, West celebrates the often overlooked yet fundamental work of a group of women scientists known as the Harvard Astronomical Computers, reclaiming the role of scientific research at a time when it appears to be defunded and under attack. The ground floor of Palazzo Foscari will essentially become a "viewing apparatus" for the cosmos, seamlessly integrating the artwork into the University's daily life.

On 7 May, Metamorphosis: Beyond the Real – Searching for Victoria Lu. When Humans and AI Think Together, the Story Begins will debut at Ca’ Foscari Esposizioni. The exhibition explores the new frontiers of contemporary thought through the life and work of Victoria Lu and is curated by Prof. Angelo Maggi (Iuav University of Venice), Fei Jun (Professor of Digital Art at the China Central Academy of Fine Arts), and researchers Sen Fu and Cheng Chi Chuang.

The initiative is organised by Future Pass Creative Inc. and promoted by Today Art Museum, the Shanghai Soong Ching Ling Foundation and the Ho Chuang-Shih Calligraphy Art Foundation, with organisational support from the Ca’ Foscari University of Venice Foundation. The project also receives the patronage of Ca’ Foscari University of Venice and Iuav University of Venice.

The exhibition at Ca’ Foscari will be open to the public from 9 May to 22 November. On 7 May, from 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM, access to the exhibition will be reserved for the press and industry professionals.

In conjunction with the opening, Iuav University of Venice will host the 16th edition of Lo Scrittoio della Biennale on the afternoon of May 7 (2:00 PM – 5:30 PM). Titled "China & the Arts," the symposium will take place at Palazzo Badoer (Aula Tafuri) and will bring together scholars, curators, and cultural professionals to examine the relationship between China and contemporary artistic production.