by InTrieste
This summer, the grand halls and sprawling gardens of Villa Manin in Codroipo, Friuli Venezia Giulia, are set to become a shimmering, immersive playground for contemporary art.
Opening June 8 and running through October 26, Architetture Trasparenti (“Transparent Architectures”) brings together 16 internationally acclaimed artists whose installations play with light, reflection, sound, and space, challenging visitors’ perceptions of reality and architecture itself.
Nestled in the heart of the Friuli Venezia Giulia region, Villa Manin—once the residence of the last Venetian Doge—is transformed into an interactive maze where boundaries between inside and outside dissolve. Visitors will encounter delicate glass and mirror structures, colorful threads, translucent fabrics, and soundscapes that invite not just viewing but inhabiting the space.
“This exhibition is about crossing thresholds,” explains Guido Comis, director of the regional cultural agency ERPAC and one of the curators. “Not as barriers, but as opportunities for new ways of experiencing space—both physically and mentally.”
Among the highlights are works by Robert Irwin and Giulio Paolini, towering figures in contemporary art, alongside Jeppe Hein, Pae White, and Dan Graham—whose Two-Way Mirror Pavilion returns to Villa Manin after its original 2001 appearance. The show also spotlights emerging Italian talents like Matteo Negri and Anna Pontel, emphasizing the region’s growing role in the international art scene.
The exhibition is part of the larger cultural initiative GO! 2025 & Friends, celebrating the 2025 European Capital of Culture title awarded to nearby Nova Gorica-Gorizia. This cross-border program highlights Friuli Venezia Giulia’s vibrant cultural landscape and its links to neighboring Slovenia.
At Villa Manin, centuries-old Baroque architecture converses with cutting-edge contemporary works, blurring lines between past and present, tradition and innovation. Visitors are invited not merely to observe but to wander, touch, listen, and reflect.
With its evocative blend of history, nature, and art, Architetture Trasparenti offers a uniquely immersive experience and underscores Friuli Venezia Giulia’s dynamic place on Europe’s cultural map.
