The Arsenale Institute for Politics of Representation is an international institution for cultural studies and philosophical research in Venice, Italy. It focuses on pictorial pragmatics in different areas of social communication, the media and the arts. Special emphasis is given to the study of image criticism in the avant-garde of the early 20th century.
The Institute grew out of the class on politics of representation at the IUAV University in Venice. It was founded in 2006 by Lewis Baltz, Marco de Michelis and Wolfgang Scheppe. In 2009, the institute became an independent entity under the direction of Wolfgang Scheppe. It began exhibiting in its current location, the Marinarezza spaces in Venice, in 2017.
The Arsenale Institute's archive contains an extensive research collection of the avant-garde movements of the early 20th century, with a focus on documents and works by the Futurists, DADA, the Surrealists and particularly the Belgian Revolutionary Surrealism, the Lettrists and Situationists. There are also significant holdings on Raymond Roussel and Marcel Duchamp. Other archival resources relate to ethnological inventories for historical image research. The Institute's library and archives are available to research for scholars and students upon request.
Since 2009 the Institute organized more than 20 international exhibitions. Some of these came about as collaborations with international universities, major museum institutions and leading galleries.
The Arsenale Institute is located in a prominent historic building named Marinarezza dating back to 1347 and located directly on the waterfront. It is recognized as an important example of Venetian vernacular architecture anticipating the urbanism of the modern city.
The research results, projects and installations developed at the Institute are offered to interested cultural organizations as travelling exhibitions.
The Institute constitutes the only cultural foundation in Italy with this area of expertise that operates completely independently. In an unfavorable political environment, funding is based exclusively on private donations.
If you are interested in a partnership, please get in touch with us:
- Link to Wikipedia entry: Arsenale Institute for Politics of Representation
2025 Architecture of the Barricades, Venice
- Installation | Architecture of the Barricade | 2025
- Catalogue | Architecture of the Barricade | 2025 | 7th ed
- Essay | English | Semper & Anarchitecture | Wolfgang Scheppe
- Essay | Deutsch | Semper & Anarchitektur | Wolfgang Scheppe
2024 William Kentridge / Self-Portrait as a Coffee-Pot, Venice
- Installation | William_Kentridge | Self-Portrait as a Coffee-Pot
- Booklet | William Kentridge | Self-Portrait as a Coffee-Pot
- Press Release | William Kentridge | Self-Portrait as a Coffee-Pot
- Programme | William_Kentridge | Self-Portrait as a Coffee-Pot
- Invitation | William_Kentridge | Self-Portrait as a Coffee-Pot
- Essay | Kant and Kentridge | Wolfgang Scheppe | English
- Essay | Kant und Kentridge | Wolfgang Scheppe | Deutsch
- Essay | Kant und Kentridge | Wolfgang Scheppe | Italiano
- Splash page clip | William Kentridge | Self-Portrait as a Coffee-Pot
2023 Barrikadenwetter, MACRO, Roma
2023 Barrikadenwetter, MOMus, Thessaloniki
2023 Paul Jaray: Die Vernunft der Stromlinie, Berlin
- Paul Jaray | Kunsthaus Dahlem | Poster
- Einführung | Wolfgang Scheppe | Deutsch
- Biographie Paul Jaray | Wolfgang Scheppe | Deutsch
2023 Ponteggi Narrativi, Venice
- Invitation file
- Ponteggi Narrativi | Catalog
- Essay | Giorgia Aquilar | English
- Essay | Giorgia Aquilar | Italiano
- Ponteggi Narrativi | List of Works exhibited
- Ponteggi Narrativi | additional images of some works exhibited
- THE LANGUAGE OF LAWRENCE WEINER
Introduction Wolfgang Scheppe | English
Einführung Wolfgang Scheppe | Deutsch
Essay Karlheinz Lüdeking | English
Essay Karlheinz Lüdeking | Deutsch
Lists of Exhibits / Liste Exponate | English
2022 Architecture of Speed, Venice
- Architecture of Speed / Paul Jaray, promotion film, Berlin, AVUS, June 6, 1923
- Architecture of Speed / Introduction - long
Architecture of Speed / Einführung - DE
Architecture of Speed / Introduction - EN
Architecture of Speed / Introduzione - IT
Architecture of Speed / Introduction - FR
- Architecture of Speed / Introduction - short
- Architecture of Speed / Catalogue- and Plan-Leaflet
- Architecture of Speed / Photos from the opening ceremony
- Architecture of Speed / Record Breaking Car from 1935 Returns to Italy! / PDF
- Architecture of Speed / Record Breaking Car from 1935 Returns to Italy! / Video
- Architecture of Speed / Project Teaser / PDF
- Paul Jaray’s "Droplet Stroboscope"
2021 Taxonomy of the Barricade, NERO, Rome
2021 Pure Facade: On the externality of prosperity, ARCH+
2020 Paul Nougé - Conference, Venice
2020 Paul Nougé - Non voloir, 8. Salon, Hamburg
2019 Hey Psycho, Marinarezza, Venice
- Essays
- Loops
2018 The Most Dangerous Game, HKW, Berlin
2018 Ground-Rent and Exclusion from the City, ARCH+ 231
2018 Unbuilt, Marinarezza, Venice
2017 Tous Contre le Spectacle, Marinarezza, Venice
2017 Die Heilige Ware, JJM, Zürich
2016 Die legislative Erfindung des Stadtbildes, ARCH+ 225
2016 Die Vermessung des Unmenschen, SKD Dresden
2016 The Soul of Money, DOX, Prague
2015 Le Marais en héritage(s), Musée Carnavalet, Paris
2015 Supermarket of the Dead, SKD Dresden
2014 Logical Rain, SKD Dresden
2014 The Things of Life / The Life of Things, SKD Dresden
2013 Ruin / Ruined, German Pavillion
2012 Bildwürdigkeit und Sehenswürdigkeit 2, Hatje Cantz
2011 Bildwürdigkeit und Sehenswürdigkeit 1, Hatje Cantz
2011 Realabstraktion und Fassade, ARCH+ 204
2011 Lewis Baltz and the Garden of False Reality, Steidl
2010 Done-Book, Venice Biennial, The British Council
2009 Katachresis, IUAV, Venice
D is for DUCHAMP the DEEP DYED DECEIVER
Curated by Wolfgang Scheppe with Zoë Wismeth and Elena Di Battista, Max Glader, Bastiaan van der Velden.
Installation Rita Fortin and Mariavittoria Chilovi. Realized in collaboration with Carolina Gris, Marie Letz, Max Norman, Kees van den Meiracker, Masha Negura, Francesco Piccinonna.
| Public Opening: | Saturday, May 9, 2026 17:00 - 20:00 (5pm - 8pm) |
| Opening Times: | Sunday, May 10 – Sunday, November 22, 2026 Tuesday – Sunday / 11:00 - 19:30 (11am - 7:30pm), free entry |
| Location: | Arsenale Institute for Politics of Representation, Riva dei Sette Martiri, Castello, 1430/A, 30122 Venice |
| Press Contact: | Zoë Wismeth: zoe.wismeth@arsenale.com |
| General inquiry: | frontdesk@arsenale.com |
- D is for DUCHAMP the DEEP DYED DECEIVER / Press Release / English
- D is for DUCHAMP the DEEP DYED DECEIVER / Press Release / Italian
- D is for DUCHAMP the DEEP DYED DECEIVER / Memorandum / English
- D is for DUCHAMP the DEEP DYED DECEIVER / Introduction / English
Email: frontdesk@arsenale.com
Arsenale Institute for Politics of Representation
Castello, 1430/A
Riva dei Sette Martiri
30122 Venezia
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2025 Semper & Anarchitecture, Wolfgang Scheppe, AI
2024 Kant & Kentridge, Wolfgang Scheppe, AI
2023 Barricades and Beehives, AI
2023 Partcipation/ Partecipazione, Luftschacht Verlag
2023 Ponteggi Narrativi, Pomina Zipser, AI
2022 The Language of Lawrence Weiner, AI
2021 Die Reine Fassade: Zur ÄusserlIchkeIt der ProsperItat, ARCH+ 245
2021 Taxonomy of the Barricade, Image acts of Political Authority, Nero
2019 Hey Psycho! Douglas Gordon, Florian Suessmayr and the mirror paradox, AI
2018 The Most Dangerous Game, Merve
2018 Ground-Rent and Exclusion from the City, ARCH+ 231
2016 Die legislative Erfindung des Stadtbildes, ARCH+ 225
2016 Die Vermessung des Unmenschen, SKD Dresden
2015 Le Marais en héritage(s), Musée Carnavalet, Paris
2015 Supermarket of the Dead, Walther König
2014 Logical Rain, SKD Dresden
2014 The Things of Life / The Life of Things, Walther König
2012 Bildwürdigkeit und Sehenswürdigkeit 2, Hatje Cantz
2011 Bildwürdigkeit und Sehenswürdigkeit 1, Hatje Cantz
2011 Realabstraktion und Fassade, ARCH+ 204
2011 Lewis Baltz, Candlestick Point, Steidl
2010 Done-Book, Hatje Cantz
2009 Migropolis, Hatje Cantz
2002 Endcommercial, Reading the City, Hatje Cantz
- The Arsenale Institute and its Building / PDF
- Hey Psycho! / Catalogue / Venezia 2019 / PDF
- The Most Dangerous Game / Installation / Berlin 2018 / PDF
- The Most Dangerous Game / PR / Berlin 2018 / PDF
- Unbuilt / PR / Venezia 2018 / PDF
- Unbuilt / Invitation / Venezia 2018 / PDF
- Ground-Rent and Exclusion from the City / Essay 2018 / PDF
Partners, Collaborations and Cooperations
of the Institute and Wolfgang Scheppe since 2000
- AdA, Archiv der Avantgarden, Sammlung Marzona, Dresden
- ARCH+, Quarterly for Architecture and Urbanism, Berlin
- L'Arengario Studio Bibliografico, Gussago
- Bevilacqua la Masa, Venezia
- Biennale di Venezia, Venezia
- The British Council, London
- Bundesministerium für Verkehr und digitale Infrastruktur, Berlin
- MACRO, Museum of Contemporary Art of Rome, Roma
- MOMus, PhotoBiennale, Thessaloniki
- Musée Carnavalet, Paris
- Comune di Venezia, Venezia
- DOX, Centre for Contemporary Art, Prague
- Fondation Cartier pour l'art contemporain, Paris
- Fondazione Olivetti, Roma
- Gagosian Gallery, London
- Galerie Rüdiger Schöttle, München
- Galerie van de Loo, München
- Galleria Lia Rumma, Napoli / Milano
- Goodman Gallery, Johannesburg
- Hatje Cantz, Berlin
- Haus der Kunst, München
- Hauser & Wirth, Zürich
- HKW, Haus der Kulturen der Welt, Berlin
- Johann Jacobs Museum, Zürich
- Lawrence Weiner Estate, New York
- Lisson Gallery, London
- Mai 36 Galerie, Zürich
- Marion Goodman Gallery, NYC
- Forgia Marinaressa, Venezia
- Museum and Research Foundation, Dresden
- Nero Publishers, Roma
- Regen Projects, LA
- Scheidegger & Spiess, Zürich
- SKD, Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden, Dresden
- Steidl Verlag, Göttingen
- Storefront for Art and Architecture, NYC
- Studio Bruno Tonini / Tonini Editore, Gussago
- The Office, performing arts + film, NYC
- Universitá IUAV di Venezia, Venezia
- Verlag der Buchhandlung Walther König, Köln
- 8. Salon, Hamburg
- Address
Arsenale Institute for Politics of Representation
Forgia Marinarezza
Castello, 1430/A
Riva dei Sette Martiri
30122 Venezia
Fax: +49 322 23774510
Email: frontdesk@arsenale.com
Web: http://www.arsenale.com
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- Address
Arsenale Institute for Politics of Representation
Forgia Marinarezza
Castello, 1430/A
Riva dei Sette Martiri
30122 Venezia
Fax: +49 322 23774510
Email: frontdesk@arsenale.com
Web: http://www.arsenale.com
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