Visible Cities
At the Home of The Human Safety Net at the Procuratie Vecchie, artist Tracey Snelling builds windows on the real world and possible worlds, in which to work together to change people’s lives in a better way
Lighter, among the works proposed by Tracy Snelling at the Procuratie Vecchie in Venice. On the opening page, the work About Us.
An investigation of the human condition through inhabited spaces, expressing the identity of the individual within their community, and a reflection on how to protect people in the face of today’s global challenges. This is the concept behind “About Us”, the artistic project by Tracey Snelling for The Human Safety Net at the Procuratie Vecchie in Piazza San Marco, Venice, inaugurated in April 2024 and on display until 28 April 2025. With this project, the artist offers new insights into the permanent exhibition “A World of Potential” – an interactive and immersive experience designed to understand and connect with one’s potential, exploring strengths and discovering the best qualities within our-selves and others, also through the stories of beneficiaries, operators, and volunteers of the Generali Foundation’s The Human Safety Net.
Windows to the World
Visitors traverse urban conglomerates crafted from artisanal materials and simple technological insertions such as photographs, sounds, and lights: a surprising city teeming with life, where inhabited spaces encapsulate stories, images, and voices. This vibrant microcosm invites exploration, showcasing individuals within their communities and highlighting personal strengths and the potential for change. In these endless cities, through tiny windows as small as five by five centimeters, one can glimpse snapshots of travels, clips from vintage films and TV series; but beyond cinematic fiction, there are also moments of real life: a sister embracing her little brother, a man smoking a pipe. Or a woman holding a sign that reads “Poverty has a woman’s face.” Behind the facades of these buildings, electrical wires and speakers, neon signs in multiple languages race across the tops of structures: “love,” “home,” “embrace.” Peering through the windows of these scaled-down sculptures, visitors are encouraged to engage with societal challenges and discover diverse cultures and experiences that unite humans beyond apparent disparities.
A familier imagery portrays corners of the planet, highlighting real problems, from povery to climate issues. And finally, it reveals the strenghts of each individual to build something new.
Portrait of artist Tracey Snelling next to one of the works exhibited in Venice.
Everyday microcosms made up of reality and its representation.
Real and Social
With “About Us”, Tracey Snelling addresses some of the significant themes at the heart of The Human Safety Net’s mission, foremost among them the right of every individual to improve their living conditions and those of their family and community, even starting from a state of vulnerability. The encounter with the pathway “A World of Potential” invites an experience of ‘coexistence’ through collective and tangible action in the real world. “Through my collaboration with The Human Safety Net and the exhibition ‘A World of Potential’, I feel that we share the same ideas,” the artist states. “We seek to understand how to help people so that they can get the most out of their lives, so they do not have to worry about where to sleep or what to eat, allowing them to focus on their families, on trying to be happy, and not just on basic needs.” The exhibition “About Us” literally concerns us: starting from a tangible condition of our existence, living in urban spaces that express each individual’s identity, it tackles the themes of globalization and poverty, fostering a sense of sharing, empathy, and solidarity, so that everyone can recognize their capacity to effect positive change within the global community. This is essential for building a true network of safety and protection.
