The Presentation stands as an exploration of beauty as a force of provocation, reflection and transformation. The title draws from a line by American songwriter and political activist Phil Ochs, whose songs became protest anthems of the 1960s: “In such ugly times, the only true protest is beauty”. Here, the concept of beauty is not understood as mere prettiness, but as a moment of intensity: a charged encounter, an unexpected harmony, or a subtle disturbance capable of unsettling, awakening, and creating space for the new.
Curated by Dries Van Noten with Geert Bruloot, the Presentation explores craftsmanship as a language of expression and a conduit for emotion. It moves beyond conventional disciplinary borders, gathering fashion, jewellery, art, collectible design, photography, glass, ceramics, and material experimentation within a shared investigation of beauty’s ability to question norms and disrupt dogma. The Presentation unfolds as a constellation of encounters, where established and emerging talents meet in ever‐shifting dialogue. Spanning the ground floor and the first and second Piano Nobile levels of Palazzo Pisani Moretta, it spreads across a sequence of 20 intuitively composed rooms. Here, more than 200 works enter into conversation with the architecture, history, and decorative language of the Palazzo, shaping a narrative guided by instinct rather than rigid logic.
Selected pieces from established fashion houses’ archives are presented together with contemporary textile pieces, underscoring an enduring role as medium of cultural expression and affirming its capacity to generate critical and poetic statements. Collectible art and design
objects coexist with experimental works – by both independent creatives and artists represented by internationally renowned galleries – together forging new directions in sensorial storytelling and material exploration. Moreover, Traditional craftsmanship is showcased alongside innovative international voices, reflecting the Fondazione’s commitment to both safeguarding heritage and nurturing new talents and views. Collectively, these artifacts articulate the Fondazione’s mission: to honor the human dimension of making and the narratives embedded within each object.