February 7 – May 31, 2009
Curated by Franck Goddio
Outfit by Robert Wilson
Music and soundtrack by Laurie Anderson
The international exhibition visits Italy and the new exhibition venue of Juvarra’s Scuderie
The Egypt. Sunken treasures exhibition will open in Juvarra’s Scuderie at Venaria Reale from February 7 to May 31, 2009: it is the only Italian appointment for the international exhibition of over 500 archaeological artefacts from Alexandria, Heracleion and Canopus, ancient towns in the Nile Delta which sank six metres under the level of the Mediterranean in the first centuries of the Christian era.
Egyptian treasures underwater
Backed up by sophisticated geophysical technology, the team led by Franck Goddio discovered their remains, legends, works and objects: from the sensuality of the diorite statue of a queen, to simple daily objects such as bronze fishing hooks, three colossal granite statues over five metres tall and gold coins, the Ptolemy stone weighing 16 tonnes, and the gold wedding ring with an inscription from the New Testament. The remains bear witness to 15 centuries of history from 700 BC to 800 AD: a fascinating journey in this area of ancient Egypt which was in touch with the Mediterranean world of the Greeks, Romans and Byzantines, before the Arab conquest.
The only Italian venue for the exhibition is enhanced by Robert Wilson’s scenographic outfit and Laurie Anderson’s music and soundtrack. The visitor travels down a long, dark corridor that recreates the ambience of the depths of the sea, right to the heart of the exhibition that starts from a brightly lit room, the “contemplation space” dedicated to a single, precious object, which he can contemplate at will. This is followed by strikingly outfitted rooms: Sunken Forest, Treasures Honeycomb, Sphinx Box, Liquid Space, and Waves Power. The visit culminates in a long corridor presented as a dark tunnel (the Coral Tunnel), and the last spectacular room dedicated to the object surrounded by the greatest mystery and sensuality: a female statue – goddess or queen- that seems to rise from the waters and which, with the perfection and beauty of its image, accompanies the visitor to the exit.
The Venaria exhibition is housed in the striking new exhibition venue of the Citroniera (the old greenhouse built to store citrus fruit in Winter) and the Scuderia Grande, a work of great architectural refinement designed in the 18th century by Filippo Juvarra, whose restoration is nearing its close after 3 years of intense work, promoted and coordinated by the Soprintendenza per i Beni Architettonici e Paesaggistici (the body responsible for the conservation of architectural and landscape heritage) and by Regione Piemonte, the regional government: making up a total area of 5,000 square metres, each over 140 metres long and almost 15 wide and high, they are the new cultural centre of the Reggia di Venaria.
The exhibition is sponsored by Compagnia di San Paolo and has been prepared with the La Venaria Reale Cultural Exploitation Consortium, in collaboration with the Institut Européen d’Archéologie Sous-Marine (IEASM), Hilti Arts & Culture GmbH and the Supreme Council of Antiquities of Egypt.
Egyptian treasures underwater
Egypt. Sunken treasures
Where
Scuderie Juvarriane at the Reggia di Venaria (Turin)
When
From February 7 to May 31, 2009
Times
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday: 9 am – 6.30 pm
Saturday: 9 am – 11 pm; Sunday: 9 am – 8 pm
Monday: closed (except on national holidays)
Last entrance: 1 hour before closing time
How to get there
The Scuderie Juvarriane at the Reggia di Venaria lie approximately 10 kilometres from the centre of Turin (Italy) and is reached by:
Venaria Express shuttle bus operated by GTT
Bus: routes 72, 11
Train: Turin-Ceres line
(for times and stops: freephone number: 800 019152 – http://www.comune.torino.it/gtt)
Car: Torino Nord orbital road, Savonera exit
(follow directions for “La Venaria Reale – Reggia e Giardini – Scuderie Juvarriane Parcheggio”: after Frazione Savonera, take Via Don Sapino to the Juvarra car park)
For reservations and tours email info@romanticatours.com
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