Le Stanze della fotografia

On 29 March 2023, with the exhibition “Ugo Mulas. The photographic operation”, the new display space “Le Stanze della Fotografia” opened on the island of San Giorgio Maggiore in Venice. This was the first step in a multi-year cultural project in which a partnership between the Fondazione Giorgio Cini and Marsilio Arte (with the precious collaboration of the Gran Teatro La Fenice) aims to advance the cultural path begun in 2012 at La Casa dei Tre Oci. The creation of this new space is based on the conviction that photography, one of the most interesting contemporary arts, must continue to have a "home" in Venice.

The new centre is located in the Sale del Convitto (former Boarding School Rooms) on the Island of San Giorgio Maggiore. These spaces have been redeveloped through a design and restoration project by the Venice-based Studio Apml Architetti Pedron / La Tegola.

The space dedicated to enhancing photography and the culture of images is divided into two large 'photography rooms' on the ground floor of the former Boarding School, plus a space in the attic. There is also a bookshop, an access hall and offices.

The exhibition spaces are created using ultralight panels sustained by steel cables that allow them to be moved, so displays can be shaped to suit each exhibition. The Architect Alessandro Pedron has designed a 'homogeneous and diffuse, entirely artificial, lighting system with low luminance levels (about 80 lux) that heighten the visual perception of the photographs on display.

The edges of the panels generate cast shadows that mitigate and avoid any reflections. To further overcome these issues, a great deal of work has been done on site to aim the luminaires correctly.

The luminaires chosen are round View projectors with Optismart Wide Flood optics and a 3000 K colour temperature. Selected with a black finish, they are installed on a mains voltage track, mounted on the trusses that support the electrical system. This solution was adopted to preserve the original ceiling which features large wooden beams that the system could not be mounted on. It also ensures that the illumination produced can be enjoyed without the system visually cluttering up the environment.
The captions and textual parts of the installation are highlighted and illuminated by Palco Framers.

Other areas, such as the lobby and bookshop were entrusted to the architect Paolo Lucchetta. In the lobby, Robin projectors and the LED modules for downlight and Laser Blade emissions have been mounted on Superrail tracks. The same set up has been used for the bookshop, but with 3000 K and 4000 K colour temperatures.
The system is equipped with a BLE control system that allows it to be managed by smartphone. A number of scenarios including on/off switching and dimming have been developed. And beacons have been included that allow push notifications to be sent and other types of services to be activated.
The office spaces, on the other hand, are lit by iN60 Space luminaires.