Bottega Veneta Partners With Nervi Foundation

The House expands cultural strategy with Venice-based moving image exhibition

Key Takeaways:

Bottega Veneta sponsors a Biennale collateral exhibition centered on moving image works
The project activates a public piazza, advancing accessibility and large-scale engagement
New and existing works reflect a global network of artistic perspectives
The initiative strengthens the house’s cultural positioning under Louise Trotter
Architectural context connects Venice’s modernist history with contemporary practice

Bottega Veneta is extending its cultural engagement with a new partnership tied to the 2026 Venice Art Biennale, aligning itself with a public-facing exhibition that foregrounds contemporary moving image work and architectural heritage.

The Italian house has confirmed its exclusive sponsorship of If All Time Is Eternally Present, a collateral event of the 61st International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia. The project, presented by the Pier Luigi Nervi Foundation, brings together works by Tai Shani, Meriem Bennani and Orian Barki, and Kandis Williams, situating them within an urban, open-access context in Venice.

The exhibition will unfold in Campo Manin, where the façade of Palazzo Nervi Scattolin will serve as a large-scale projection surface. Running nightly from May 9 through June 7, the installation transforms a public square into a cultural destination, introducing a format that prioritizes visibility and accessibility within the Biennale ecosystem.

Under the creative direction of Louise Trotter, the initiative reinforces Bottega Veneta’s long-standing connection to Venice while sharpening its positioning within the broader cultural landscape. The house continues to invest in projects that intersect art, architecture, and public engagement, signaling an ongoing commitment to dialogue beyond fashion.

Curated by Venice natives Marta Barina and Chiara Carrera, the exhibition emphasizes Venice as a living site of exchange, drawing connections between its modernist moment and contemporary global perspectives. The project channels the energy of mid-century optimism, when the city explored new cultural and architectural futures, and reframes it through the lens of today’s international artistic networks.

The program brings together a mix of newly commissioned, adapted, and existing works. Meriem Bennani and Orian Barki’s 2 Lizards (2020) anchors the presentation alongside Kandis Williams’ new film A Travel Guide: Black Gothic in South Korean Horror (2025), while Tai Shani contributes a newly realized iteration of My Bodily Remains, Your Bodily Remains and All the Bodily Remains that Ever Were and Ever Will Be (2023–2026). Together, the works reflect a range of geographies and lived experiences, spanning New York, Rabat, London, Tel Aviv, Baltimore, and Berlin.

The choice of Palazzo Nervi Scattolin adds a strategic architectural layer. Completed in 1972, the building represents a forward-looking chapter in Venice’s development, shaped by international dialogue and experimentation. Its activation as a projection site positions the structure as both historical artifact and contemporary platform.

The partnership also underscores Bottega Veneta’s own trajectory, from its founding in Vicenza in 1966 to its early expansion into New York. The alignment of architecture, geography, and artistic practice situates the house within a broader narrative of cultural continuity, while reinforcing its investment in public-facing initiatives that extend beyond traditional brand environments.