Italy Art Trip

A group of GCSE and A Level artists enjoyed a week of art, history, and inspiration in Venice over half term.

Amy and Poppy in Year 11 share some highlights of their trip:

• Day 1 – Arrival and First Impressions: Our journey began with a 3am start at Gatwick, boarding a vivid orange plane to Marco Polo Airport then a boat to Hotel Belle Arti. Bags dropped and appetites satisfied, we embarked on a scenic walking tour from Piazza San Marco to the Academia district, led by an entertaining and knowledgeable Italian guide. The day ended with dinner and an early night to recharge.
• Day 2 – Palatial Grandeur and Contemporary Intrigue: The morning was devoted to exploring the Palazzo Ducale, marvelling at the gilded Scala d’Oro and masterpieces by Tintoretto. A visit to the Correr Museum followed, offering insights into Venice’s artistic heritage and a contemporary highlight: Erwin Wurm’s DEEP. This juxtaposition of Wurm’s modern sculptures with Renaissance works by Titian and Veronese in the Sansovino Hall created a dialogue between tradition and modernity. We ended the day with a chilling ghost tour through Venice’s rain-slicked streets, blending spooky stories with the city’s atmospheric charm.
• Day 3 – Island Explorations: A sunny day took us to Murano, where we admired the art of glassblowing; Burano, famous for its vibrant houses and lace-making traditions; and Torcello, home to the ancient Santa Maria Cathedral and its stunning Byzantine mosaics. This island-hopping adventure provided a serene contrast to the bustling city.
• Day 4 – Art and Photography: At the Gallerie dell ’Accademia, we traced the evolution of Venetian art from the 14th to 18th centuries. A boat trip then brought us to San Giorgio Maggiore, where the Giorgio Cini Foundation impressed us with its labyrinthine libraries and exhibition spaces. We also visited the Helmut Newton: Legacy photography exhibition, featuring over 250 works, including his bold “Big Nudes” series and elegant fashion photography.
• Days 5/6 – Immersion in the Biennale: The Biennale’s Foreigners Everywhere theme came to life across two venues. At Giardini, national pavilions explored migration, identity, and global narratives, with France’s pavilion and its ecosystem-inspired installation by Julien Creuzet standing out. The Arsenale continued this exploration with highlights such as Bouchra Khalili’s The Mapping Journey Project, a moving depiction of migrants’ journeys, and Lydia Ourahmane’s poignant 21 Boulevard Mustapha Benboulaid, which used symbolic elements like locks to reflect on access and exclusion. Intricate abstract aluminium etchings also left a lasting impression with their hidden complexity.
• Day 7 – Museum Marvels and a Poetic Farewell: On our penultimate day, we visited the Peggy Guggenheim Museum, enjoying masterpieces by Dalí and Picasso in a serene setting. Our next stop was Ca’ Pesaro.  The modern art collection included works by artists such as Gustav Klimt, Marc Chagall, and Henri Matisse, while the Oriental Art Museum featured a vast collection of Japanese art from the Edo period. Then on to the final and most impressive and challenging exhibition at Punta Della Dogana, with Pierre Huyghe’s Liminal. Here Huyghe transformed the space into an evolving living and learning organism. Never before have we seen an artist blending technology, organic elements, and immersive installations, so seamlessly. The exhibition explored thresholds between reality and fiction, life and its digital traces. Intriguing and unsettling, it challenged our perceptions and invited our deep reflection on existence and transformation in a hauntingly poetic and enduring manner.
• Day 8 – Departure: Departing Venice in the early hours, we reflected on the unforgettable week as we boarded a water taxi, then a short flight back to London, with so many cherished memories, and so much to think about.