Venezia Marghera, 2011
In this 16 – element work Baltz elegantly strips the façade of the industrial greatness of Marghera, Italy, exposing a decaying infrastructure that had been collapsing since the 1960s. The irony of this work is that it was made as a public commission to bring attention to the port town right as it was building two Disney cruse ships that were to be the largest cruse ships constructed to date. Instead of glorifying these accomplishments Baltz unveils a sorted history while finding humor to the short history of Marghera. The true Baltz stamp is his ability to present a cutting edge dialogue while seducing you with his presentation and images. He is a master of his tools and this last work does not shy away from any of these expectations.
“The only remarkable thing about Marghera is her proximity to Venice. Otherwise Marghera is just another episode in the deindustrialization of Western Europe. Marghera sells aluminum, chemicals, petroleum and ships, and business has declined steadily since 1960. Venice sells herself, and her fragile, crepuscular beauty, and trade has been brisk for centuries.”
– Lewis Baltz