miniscule Venice

Exhibition details

Miniscule Venice  is taking place in Venice as part of the satellite programme of the 58th International Art Exhibition the Venice Biennale. The show could be regarded as a bijou sociological experiment; over 100 artists have taken up the invitation to submit a diminutive art object of any genre or media but with one simple proviso: the maximum size of the work is that of the common matchbox; 2” by 1.5”.

Thinking small and making small is a unique position and while some artists specialise in the miniature or reductive ideas and might consider it a regular part of their creative output, many more do not. For most of the artists participating in Miniscule, the format is an intriguing challenge; a stimulus or provocation; potentially a playful distraction from their standard artistic practice. 

This diverse exhibition presents carefully considered, imaginative but seriously tiny, fragile art objects – an exquisite mass of breeding minisculism. As curator Vanya Balogh describes “Here we will find a toy-box destruction derby of high-concept in abject competition, a kaleidoscope cross-cut of current making and thinking but one set in an equal arena, although admittedly it may be biased towards the ‘less is more’ camp. Is an object to be judged by its size? Does size really matter? Can we say that the London Eye has more impact on the art world than a bicycle wheel?”

Location: Fondamenta Sant’Anna 996, Castello 30122, Venice

Miniscule Venice  is a sequel to the exhibitions Miniscule Part 2 curated by Vanya Balogh and presented at Cross Lane Projects (March to May 2019) and Miniscule devised by artists Vanya Balogh and Jim Racine (Oblong Gallery, London, June 2010).