INTUITION

This catalogue was published on the occasion of the exhibition Intuition, the exhibition in Palazzo Fortuny during the Biennale di Venezia curated by Axel Vervoordt and Daniela Ferretti, en suite to the highly acclaimed exhibitions from the past Artempo (2007), In-finitum (2009), TRA (2011), Tàpies, lo sguardo dell’artista (2013) and PROPORTIO (2015). Organised by the Axel & May Vervoordt Foundation and the Fondazione Musei Civici di Venezia, the exhibition examines what role intuition plays in an artist’s creative process? what is intuition and how does it work? Described in various circumstances as a subconscious activity, a gut feeling, a sixth sense, or a hunch — intuition is a mysterious process that gives us the ability to know something without proof or evidence. It guides us to act in a certain way without knowing exactly why or how. It’s a bridge between the conscious and unconscious mind, between instinct and reason, between perception, logic, and the leap from a question to its answer. Intuition has consistently provoked vast fields of research. Everyone from philosophers, physicists, artists, actors, mathematicians, neuroscientists, musicians, to many others, have tried to offer their understanding of its mysterious processes. A challenging and complex topic, intuition has fascinated and perplexed some of humanity’s greatest minds for centuries.

Held at the Palazzo Fortuny in Venice, the exhibition Intuition brings together historic, modern, and contemporary artworks related to dreams, meditation, telepathy, creative power, and inspiration. Spanning diverse geographies and cultures, the exhibition explores how intuition has shaped our collective understanding of art for generations. The exhibition aims to provoke questions about the origins of creation, which is constantly evolving. Therefore, this ambitious project is necessarily to be seen as a work in progress, with leading contemporary artists creating a dialogue with historic works staged within the unique character of Mariano Fortuny’s former home.