Lunedi Lunacy - Perhaps NSFW

Since the early days of its history Venice has been on the cutting edge of fashion with the riches of its trade being conspicuously shown on the frames of its citizens. Though many city-states and countries enforced "sumputuary laws" Venice was not one of them.  This - and the increasingly loose morals of its citizens - was partly responsible for it being labelled "decadent" and contributed to the downfall of the Republic.

This past weekend as Carnevale was reaching its peak revellers throughout the city recreated the glorious days of Venice at its most sumptuous and perhaps its most decadent.   Though many people's idea of decadent seem to be to get drunk, throw confetti, scream and on occasion get sick - not really the sort of decadence that would crumble a  Republic.  However in one small corner of my favourite Campo there is a store that goes for cutting edge fashion and gives the city a taste of the old decadence:  Fiorella Gallery.

Campo Santo Stefano is between San Marco and the Academia and is one of those marvellous spaces where tourist and neighbourhood have room to coexist and where Cafe Stefano serves the best gelato in Venice - no contest!  And there in one corner is Fiorella Gallery (Contemporary Art and Gay Fashions) with its startling window displays and its "Sometimes Open" sign.  I won't go into Fiorella Mancini's story as that can all be found on the store's website as well as some startling images of her fashions and objects d'arts

But to celebrate the Carnevale Fiorella's window display feature art pieces creating a banquet attended by Doges in camouflage with a very beefy main dish!  And being Fiorella her mannequins go for "realism" or perhaps in this case "inflated realism?" 

Perhaps not as shocking as the year she floated down the Grand Canal on a gigantic rat to protest the pollution of the city's waterways but certainly a tongue in cheek look at the Carnevale di Venezia and the decadence that destroyed the Republic!

07 marzo - Santi Perpetua e Felicita