cifra + art night venezia: marco polo (re)imagined

This year, Venice celebrates one of its most remarkable citizens of all time, as 2024 marks the 700th anniversary of Marco Polo’s passing. His dedication to connecting East and West, chronicled in the enduring ”Travels of Marco Polo,” has inspired people for centuries. Yet, learning from history, we must emphasize that we encourage delving deep into the shared world, bridging not only different cultures but also different ways of being.

But let’s go beyond the single legend. There have been, and will continue to be, many “Marco Polos” from various origins who open up stories that challenge and diversify our understanding of how the world works. We invite artists to re-examine the role of travel in modern society, considering political, environmental, and decolonial concerns. This exploration should foster cultural connections and engage with alternative perspectives.

CIFRA believes in the special role of art in uniting the world. In times like ours, bringing different people, ideas, cultures, and identities together means even more. We see our mission as creating a meeting point for everyone, presenting voices of artists from every corner of the world and democratizing the connections without simplifying art’s meaning.