Il Gesto: A contemporary reinterpretation of The Wedding at Cana
“What idea of community are we building today? Who is truly visible? Who is invited to sit at the table?” — JR
For the 61st International Art Exhibition of the Venice Biennale 2026, JR has chosen Palazzo Ca' da Mosto (The Venice Venice Hotel) to present the ninth edition of the Chronicles series. Il Gesto is inspired by Paolo Veronese’s The Wedding at Cana (1563), a painting that carries a long history between the cities of Venice and Paris. Created for the monastery of San Giorgio Maggiore on the Grand Canal, the painting currently lives in the Musée du Louvre, where JR made the pyramid disappear in 2016 and reappear in 2019. The full mural features 174 members of the Refettorio Paris community — guests, volunteers, and chefs — woven into a tapestry by Fondazione Bonotto. Following the intention of each Chronicles, every participant was photographed and recorded to form a collective composition in which every face holds a story, and every story carries its own dignity.
Organizer
The Venice Venice HotelVenue
The Venice Venice Hotel
Category
Installation ArtTag
Site SpecificStart date
May 6th, 2026
End date
November 24th, 2026
Audience Role
Visitor
Ages: All ages
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Years on EI
About The Venice Venice Hotel
FACING THE RIALTO BRIDGE, WHERE THE WATERS OF THE GRAND CANAL WIDEN TO EMBRACE THE BEATING HEART OF VENICE, A VISIONARY HOSPITALITY PROJECT REAWAKENS THE CITY’S AVANT-GARDE SOUL. A BEACON OF CREATIVE ENERGY, THE VENICE VENICE HOTEL UNITES A CONSTELLATION OF ARTISTS, NEW ARTISANS, DESIGNERS, AND GALLERISTS TO UNVEIL POSTVENEZIANITÀ: THE SHAPE OF VENICE TO COME.