Francis's instrumental work for San Marino

When looking at Mark Francis 's new body of work, it's immediately clear why the artist was chosen to represent the Republic of San Marino at the next Venice Art Biennale , from May to November 2026. In the Sea of ​​Sound project, curated by Luca Tommasi for Francis at the 61st Venice Art Biennale, Audio Code, in particular, is a perfect synthesis of a research in which the artistic and musical dimensions merge symbiotically. A horizontal tripartite that manages to contain a multitude of colors, where the color is not static, but reaches the viewer together with the sound, like a vibration that the painting itself evokes. Not only abstraction, therefore, but the acoustic component, which makes it a work-instrument. Francis's smooth execution creates a tactile, almost material effect, where the flow of the vibrations themselves can be felt under the fingers. Francis thus transforms aluminum into a resonant surface, inviting us to listen with our eyes and see the music with our soul. Francis (Newtownards, Northern Ireland, 1962) focuses on the relationships between art, sound, and science, which will be housed in the Pavilion of the Titano , located for the occasion in a new location between the Arsenale and the Giardini: Tana Art Space (Fondamenta de la Tana n. 2111), a former wood and coal warehouse converted into an art space. The Pavilion is designed and built by Fr Istituto d'Arte Contemporanea spa, the San Marino gallery of Roberto Felicetti, Vincenzo Rotondo, and Alessandro Bianchini, with the support of the Ministry of Education and Culture and the supervision of Commissioner Valentina Garavini.

"As soon as the theme of the Biennale, In Minor Keys, by Koyo Kouoh and his team, was revealed, the choice of Mark Francis immediately seemed natural and appropriate," says Tommasi. "In Minor Keys is a term borrowed from music, meaning a form of performance in a minor key. It aims to extend the concept beyond the realm of music to the human need to reconnect with the frequencies of our soul, to sharpen and amplify our ability to listen to the whispers and voices that are fainter than the dominant narrative, acting like a tuning fork capable of restoring balance and harmony." The title, Sea of ​​Sound, alludes to the vastness of sounds and frequencies we are immersed in, and to our ability to intercept, select, and translate them into personal experiences, even through the filter of emotion. The Pavilion will be divided into two rooms: in the entrance hall, a projection, entitled Listening Field, will lead the audience into the artist's visual world; In the second, a select selection of previously unseen large-format paintings, created in oil on canvas or aluminum, will explore his research in greater depth. "Although my work is abstract in nature, it is conceptually guided by ideas that draw inspiration from science, sound, and color," the artist states. The Pavilion's logo draws inspiration from a painting, superimposed on it the three iconic towers of Mount Titano, propagating waves of freedom, independence, and creativity.

Lara Maria Ferrari

Article Tags