F Taylor Colantonio: Frutti di Mare
D.H. office, Venice, 2024

Object & Thing presents Frutti di Mare by F Taylor Colantonio, a solo exhibition coinciding with La Biennale di Venezia 2024. Colantonio’s captivating body of work features ten sculptures delving into otherworldly geologies, from the cosmos to realms of mythology, crafted with his unique blend of polished cartapesta alongside green patinated bronze, fused glass and other materials. Running from 15 April to 23 June, 2024, the exhibition will be presented in partnership with D. H. office, in a former Venetian mirror workshop located in close vicinity to Palazzo Grassi and Venice’s Grand Canal.

Colantonio’s debut exhibition in Venice, curated by Abby Bangser, seamlessly intertwines a captivating array of mythologies centered around the theme of water, minerals, surrealism, queer history, poetry and outer space geological phenomena. Celebrating the rich materiality in Venice, each sculpture is meticulously crafted using a blend of materials, including polished cartapesta – a unique material developed by Colantonio and a medium he has honed since 2012 – that evokes the grandeur of Venice's marble-clad facades, terrazzo floors, and Byzantine mosaics, while the verdant patinated bronze pays homage to the city's historic lagoon. Colantonio has also incorporated glass into his work for the first time. The forms showcased in the exhibition encompass a diverse range of aquatic imagery, including amphorae, ammonites, cosmic spheres, razor clam shells and abalone. Colantonio's conceptual framework transcends time, presented within the titles of his artworks which evoke a wide range of cultural references from Kate Bush lyrics to Oscar Wilde's poetry. Placed on plinths designed by Colantonio, the ceiling and walls, the artworks appear as if plucked from the realms of the ancient cosmos, displayed in an intimate, cave-like space.