Swatch returns to La Biennale di Venezia with a ‘CIAO VENEZIA!’
Inspired by Swatch’s participation in the Biennale di Venezia, the Art Special Limited Edition CIAO VENEZIA! watch by Thai artist Navin Rawanchaikul celebrates the connection between global migration and local communities. As a committed and passionate supporter of contemporary art, Swatch is proud to be the main partner of La Biennale di Venezia and patron of the event for the sixth consecutive time. For this 59th edition of the International Art Exhibition, the Swiss watchmaker has collaborated with Navin for a stunning installation inspired by Marco Polo’s legendary voyages.
Swatch first came across Navin in 2021, when the eclectic Thai artist was working in Rome with MAXXI, the National Museum of the 21st Century Arts, on a project that involved foreign communities in the Italian capital. Navin’s inclusive approach to understanding the world’s people and nomadic life, in general, inspired the brand to work with him on an art installation for the 59th edition of La Biennale Arte in Venice, Italy.
The site-specific art installation organized by Swatch in the Biennale’s Giardini tells the story of the immigrant communities that make Venice their home. It is an expression both of the traditions they maintain and those they adopt. Entitled THE DESCRIPTION OF THE WORLD, this engaging 14 m-long multimedia work is three-dimensional in its depth of meaning as it attempts to bridge centuries of world history, from Marco Polo’s Venice to the modern day. As part of the project, Navin wrote a letter to Marco Polo recounting his own personal journey that took him to Venice. The letter, which forms part of the installation, is translated into several languages and can be read and listened to. It emphasizes the intercultural spirit of the work and makes it a delight to see, hear and contemplate.
Now, Navin’s work is on its smallest canvas ever: the Swatch Art Special watch, nicknamed CIAO VENEZIA! This Limited Edition timepiece celebrates both the history and culture of Venice and the fundamental importance of art as a means of commemorating inclusivity and local traditions around the world. Like the art installation on which it is based, it is rich in detail, featuring Marco Polo and many other historical figures and landmarks from across time and space. The special packaging features a 3.5 m long print of Navin’s letter to Marco Polo.
The CIAO VENEZIA limited-edition Art Special watch, is already available at the Swatch online store, with a price of €115.