The world’s largest Polaroid camera has been removed from mothballs and restored for a collaboration with contemporary artists in Venice. The Polaroid Foundation and Berggruen Arts & Culture are sharing new images of artworks created by nine contemporary artists featured in Palazzo Diedo’s inaugural exhibition, Janus.
Artists Urs Fischer, Piero Golia, Carsten Höller, Ibrahim Mahama, Mariko Mori, Jim Shaw, Hiroshi Sugimoto, Lee Ufan, and Liu Wei were the first to use the oversized Polaroid 20×24 instant camera.
With the original film stock almost depleted, Polaroid fully restored its 20×24 camera, one of five in existence, and developed an all-new film. Both camera and film were entrusted to the Polaroid Foundation, which made them available to select artists working across media, disciplines, and cultures.
Built in 1978, the Polaroid 20×24 stands almost two metres tall and produces 20 x 24 inch (50 x 60 cm) images of remarkable resolution in both colour and black and white. The camera has been used by Andy Warhol, Carrie Mae Weems, Chuck Close, Jim Dine, Maria Magdalena Campos-Pons, Mary Ellen Mark, Mickalene Thomas, Robert Frank, Robert Mapplethorpe, Robert Rauschenberg, Sally Mann, and Ulay and Davies and Starr, among many others.
As part of the project presented at Palazzo Diedo by Berggruen Arts & Culture and the Polaroid Foundation, the camera’s original operator, John Reuter, worked with artists featured in the galleries’ inaugural exhibition, Janus. Palazzo Diedo is Venice’s first new space dedicated to contemporary art for a decade.
The works captured creativity in progress, from the historic 18th-century architecture and frescos of Palazzo Diedo to the installation of modern works and frescos and the people working to realise the opening of this new gallery.
Carsten Höller continued his exploration of games in front of the camera, directing members of the Palazzo Diedo team and the public as they played games from his forthcoming Spiele Buch, including fake smiles, an elbow war and the artist himself jumping over his own shadow.
Artists were given autonomy to mark, paint, cut or alter the photographs as they pleased, as can be seen in Ibrahim Mahama’s collage triptych, which incorporates self-portraits of the artist in poses referencing Ghana’s first president, Kwame Nkrumah.
The resulting works are on display at Palazzo Diedo until 24 November 2024, coinciding with the 60th International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia 2024.
Working closely with John Reuter, the Polaroid Foundation will send cameras and film to the artists on its program for projects of their conception in locations of their choice. An exhibited artist himself, Reuter, who began operating the 20×24 in 1980, combines technical mastery with a unique ability to help artists translate their ideas into the 20×24 format.
Mario Codognato, Director of Berggruen Arts & Culture and exhibition curator, said: “The revival of the Polaroid 20×24 camera offers a unique chance for artists to explore new creative horizons. Through our collaboration with the Polaroid Foundation, we’re excited to have been able to offer the artists participating in our opening exhibition the opportunity to experiment with this iconic tool, blending tradition with innovation in their artistic pursuits. The exhibition at Palazzo Diedo is a celebration of creativity, and we’re thrilled to facilitate this journey of exploration.”
Tom Wallmann, director of the Polaroid Foundation, said: “As custodians of Polaroid’s rich legacy of innovation and artistic exploration, we are thrilled to be part of the resurrection of the Polaroid 20×24, a true icon in photography. This development revitalises a piece of photographic history and opens up exciting possibilities for artists to explore instant photography in new ways. Teaming up with Berggruen Arts & Culture for this project has been a privilege, and we are thrilled with the outcome.”
Established by Berggruen Arts & Culture, a charitable foundation founded by Nicolas Berggruenn, Palazzo Diedo aims to deepen the connection between contemporary art and the past. It will host artist residencies, exhibitions, events, films, and performances. The inaugural exhibition Janus is curated by Mario Codognato, Director of Berggruen Arts & Culture, and Adriana Rispoli, Berggruen Arts & Culture Curator.
Artists Using The Camera
Urs Fischer, born in 1973 in Zurich, Switzerland, Lives and works in New York, US.
Piero Golia was born in 1974 in Naples, Italy. Lives and works in Los Angeles, US
Carsten Höller, born 1961, Belgium. Lives and works in Stockholm, Sweden.
Biriwa, Ghana. Ibrahim Mahama, born 1987, Tamale, Ghana. He lives and works in Accra and Tamale, Ghana.
Mariko Mori was born in 1967 in Tokyo, Japan. He lives and works in Japan.
Sterling Ruby was born in 1972 in Bitburg, Germany. Lives and works in Los Angeles
Jim Shaw was born in 1952 in Michigan, USA. Lives and works in Los Angeles
Hiroshi Sugimoto, born 1948, Tokyo, Japan. Lives and works in New York and Tokyo
Aya Takano, born 1976, Saitama, Japan. Lives and works in Tokyo
Lee Ufan, born 1936, Kyongnam, South Korea. He lives and works in Japan.
Liu Wei was born in 1972 in Beijing, China. Lives and works in Beijing, China.
Collector, thinker and philanthropist Nicolas Berggruen recently established Berggruen Arts & Culture, a Venice-based art foundation whose work includes the opening of Palazzo Diedo in the Cannaregio district. Palazzo Diedo is Venice’s first new space dedicated to contemporary art in over a decade and opened on 20 April to coincide with the 60th International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia 2024. A third space in Venice, Palazzo Malipiero currently provides a unique backdrop for art events ahead of its transformation into a Berggruen family residence.
Berggruen Arts & Culture: Urs Fischer, Piero Golia, Carsten Höller, Ibrahim Mahama, Mariko Mori, Sterling Ruby, Jim Shaw, Hiroshi Sugimoto, Aya Takano, Lee Ufan and Liu Wei Palazzo Diedo | Cannaregio 2386 | Venice – Vaporetto stop: Ca d’oro Until 17 November 2024
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Berggruen Arts & Culture, Carsten Holler, Ibrahim Mahama, Piero Golia, The Polaroid Foundation, Urs Fischer, World’s largest Polaroid camera
