Holy See

The Holy See pavilion presents a new and unprecedented reality for the Venice Biennale thanks to the physical and conceptual opening of Venice’s women’s prison on the Giudecca, where the object of discussion will be art, poetry, humanity, and caring.
The title Con i miei occhi (With my eyes) is taken from a fragment of poetry that echoes an ancient sacred text and an Elizabethan poem. “I do not love thee with mine eyes” (Shakespeare, Sonnet 141) resonates with 42:5 of the Book of Job: “now mine eye seeth thee”. A cross-fade, gradually becoming an action where seeing is synonymous with touching, with the gaze, embracing with the eye, bringing sight and perception into a dialogue with each other.
Everything in the pavilion is the result of an energy that defies artistic and prison conventions, where pragmatic projects intertwine with the creativity of usually parallel worlds that are foreign to each other, in keeping with the multifaceted dialogue proposed by Pope Francis.
Words and images are brought together by the female prisoners, artists and poets who contribute to the artistic and historical narration of the place, where visitors will be accompanied by female prisoners–conferencers. The project opens up novel and unexpected visions of social and artistic dynamics, defying prejudice and convention, reflecting on the power structures within art and within institutions.