Le “MANI” (The Hands).
My wife and I went to Venice for a day visit earlier this year, I was amazed to see two giant arms emerge from the water, with their hands leaning on a palace, they were two gigantic arms, 8-9 meters high, that seems to come out of the water to support Hotel Ca' Sagredo (near Rialto) from falling into the water. When I got informed, I learned that they were a sculpture made by Lorenzo Quinn, internationally renowned artist, son of actor Anthony Quinn and Venetian costume designer Iolanda Addolori.
It is one of the many artistic installations that enriched the” gondola city's” cultural panorama on the occasion of the Venice Biennale. The sculpture was inaugurated on Friday, May 12th, 2017. On May 8th, 2018 it was dismantled and taken to the artist's Spanish studio for a restoration.
The sculptor explained that his dream is that the sculpture, after the restoration, returns in Venice. If not in the canal, at least in a museum.
Lorenzo Quinn, in fact, has started the process for the donation to the City of Venice, the city mayor is very grateful and ensures that a location for the sculpture will be found.