ART
V i CA venice institute of contemporary art
With all the talent within the borders of Venice it is surprising that a museum has not been formed here already but if Juri Koll has his way that will change. He acknowledges that Venice is off the beaten path from the rest of the city. Without a major institution or university close by this will have to be a project that is as unique and the city itself. How about a circus tent for a museum set upon the sand of Venice Beach? The Venice Institute of Contemporary Art (ViCA) is the brainchild of Juri Koll, artist, journalist and filmmaker. Koll’s institute resides on the internet for now but he is laying the groundwork for a very ambitious project – a Venice Beach Museum of Art. Koll started ViCA with the purpose of creating a respected online forum for the contemporary arts in Venice. A long time resident of the Sunset Avenue, Koll holds a particular passion for the art that is produced in this area. He sees a need to preserve the legacy of Venice arts and provide an environment to encourage new movements. The ViCA website states that their mission is to “through ongoing exhibitions and events… protect, preserve, and promote the values of the individual, independent artistic expression that have formed the historical practice of creativity in Venice.” If his nicely curated website for ViCA is any indication, Juri Koll could be on to a very good start to see a Venice Muesuem of Art someday. veniceica.org
48 August | September 2013
P h o t o g r a p h s b y TAYLOR BARNES