Proportio...

3:53 p.m.

In the history of mankind, the knowledge of proportion, and geometry in particular, was used by many diverse civilisations. The discovery of the golden ratio (*) was considered ground-breaking and was at first related with religion. In its origins it was kept a secret and, with time, it was discarded and forgotten.

The previous explanation belongs to Axel Vervoodt and Daniela Ferretti, curators of Proportio, an exhibition at the Fortuny Museum in Venice, which creates a dialogue between Contemporary art pieces and the golden ratio.

The tour starts at a series of constructions where the use of the golden ratio can be seen in detail. They are pavilions specially designed by Tatsuro Miki and Axel Vervoordt, in which each measure is the square root of 2, 5 and 3. Through this architecture, the visitor activates the perception of the proportion and can truly appreciate the works on display.

Deep Space, by Nanda Vigo (2013)

Materials: crystal, glass, neon and steel

Elogio de la Luz XX, by Eduardo Chillida (1990)

Material: alabaster

4 à 4 No. 7, by Francois Morellet (2007)

Materials: acrylic on canvas and white neon

Untitled, by Tomás Saraceno (2011)

Materials: black polyester rope, acrylic and acrylic structure

Zikurat, Heinz Mack (2010)

Materials: stainless steel, motor

The video shows a structure which represents the golden ratio: the steel plaque on top is 1/3 smaller than the one below and so forth. This way of construction was used in Classic Greece.

Erebus et Terreur, by Victor Vasarely (1957)

Technique: acrylic on panel

Gathering Clouds, by Anish Kapoor (2014) - Detail

Materials: fiberglass and paint

The Cube, by Alberto Giacometti (1934-35)

Material: Bronze

Proportio pretends to teach us, through the work of contemporary artists, 20th Century pieces, architecture miniatures and books from the 1500s (in which these proportions were studied in the human body), that there's an interconnection in our universe.

The quantity and quality of the artworks on display is remarkable, which translates into one of the few exhibitions at the Venice Biennial (including surrounding events) with high concentration of visitors.

(*) The golden proportion is a number that repeatedly appears in the world surrounding us, such as the pyramids in Egypt and elements of Nature, as flowers, seeds, sea stars and shells. Leonardo da Vinci, in his Vitruvian man, pointed out the golden ratios in the human body.