Morgan Morris Sans, Founder and CEO of Unique Design X Group, has been a revered professional in the global contemporary art and design scene since the early 1990s, centering her proficiency in the flourishing Asian and European markets. A devoted explorer of the Venice Biennale, Sans descends upon this year’s 60th edition with revitalized cultural exchanges in mind—and deftly juggles her time as a vivacious showcase is unveiled by Unique Design X at the prestigious Salone del Mobile in Milan.
Courtesy of Morgan Morris Sans.
WHITEWALL: Is the Venice Biennale opening something you try to attend every two years? If so, why is it important for you?
MORGAN MORRIS SANS: The Venice Biennale holds immense significance as a driving connecting force within the global art world, bringing together artists, galleries, institutions, and brands. As a bi-annual event, it stands as a pivotal moment for myself and my team as a moment to connect and exchange with colleagues, collaborators, professional networks and clients within the nomadic art world. Witnessing and engaging with the voices of both emerging and established artistic talent amplifies the power of our global cultural exchanges, further enhancing its importance.
“Witnessing and engaging with the voices of both emerging and established artistic talent amplifies the power of our global cultural exchanges, further enhancing its importance,” — Morgan Morris
WW: Within your role at Unique Design X, do you have your eye on anything in particular at this year’s biennale?
MMS: This year will be challenging for me as the dates for the professional openings of the Venice Biennale and the Salone del Mobile coincide, or rather for us…collide. As Unique Design X focuses on showcasing talent at the intersection of both the art and design worlds, I will be juggling time navigating between Venice and Milan in order to capture the major important art and design events in both cities.
Also, as Unique Design X has a very strong focus on the the gray area between different creative sectors, we are especially interested in experiencing the “Are we the aliens_,” Arne Quince’s installation as a pure delight melding Swizz Beatz’ creation “Sonic Levitation” as an integral part of the work’s installation.
WW: What are the pavilions on your list to make sure you visit this year?
MMS: The Venice Biennale’s 60th edition with “FOREIGNERS EVERYWHERE” promises to be a deeply emotive and sensorial experience this year, with artists like Julien Creuzet offering a nostalgic portrayal of fragments of childhood through his imaginative works. Equally captivating will be Koo Jeong A‘s exploration of the intricate relationship between sensory perception, olfactive experiences, and memory. I’m also particularly thrilled about the upcoming Jean Cocteau exhibition at the Peggy Guggenheim Foundation, promising to be a captivating journey through artistic brilliance. Additionally, Lee Bae‘s “La Maison de la Lune Qui Brûle” at La Fondation Wilmotte.
Select Moments at Salone de Mobile in Milan
WW: And collateral exhibitions?
MMS: Collateral for me this year will be in Milan with my own personal ANDATA E RITORNO Venezia – Milano to check out some select moments at Salone del Mobile’s exciting edition this year.
Among the key highlights on my list to check out are the curated selection at the renowned Nilufar Depot, alongside the innovative displays at Alcova poised to mesmerize audiences with its evocative new 2 locations. I’m especially excited to support Lionel Jadot and our friends from Zaventem, the masterminds behind the Atelier Baranzate project, as well as our dear friends from Galerie Philia and Mexico City’s UNNO Gallery in their respective pop up exhibition locations to name only a few. This journey promises to be a rich tapestry of inspiration and connection within the vibrant collectible design landscape at this year’s edition of Salone.
Iconic Venice Refreshment
WW: Do you have any favorite restaurants or bars in Venice?
MMS: The eponymous Harry’s Bar and the exceptional Ristorante Quadri at Piazza San Marco.
Advice for Biennale First-Timers
WW: Any advice for someone visiting the opening of the Biennale for the first time?
MMS: To stay as close to S. Marco as possible since getting around can take up so much time and there is so so much to see.
6 Venice Gems, According to Morgan Morris Sans
1. Arne Quinze and Swizz Beatz’s “Are We The Aliens_” at San Francesco della Vigna
Making of “Impact Glass” at Berengo Studio, 2024, courtesy of Dave Bruel.
Artist Arne Quinze and music producer Swizz Beatz join forces, inviting an international audience to embark upon a singular, experiential presentation. Placing prismatic, large-scale sculptures within an otherworldly soundscape, the luminaries spark riveting dialogue on the seen and the unseen within the legendary 16th-century church San Francesco della Vigna. Inaugurating the beloved space as a platform for meaningful experiences alongside contemporary art, each monumental glass and ceramic creation invites visitors to interrogate their relationship with the natural world in crisis. Alongside Germany’s Ludwig Museum, the show is co-curated by Hervé Mikaeloff, independent art consultant and advisor of the Louis Vuitton Foundation, and Reiner Opoku, art consultant and agent. Installation Sonic Levitation fills the church’s vast first floor with a circular aluminum sculpture of four separate sections, while a digital and instrumental soundtrack evokes the untapped dynamism flowing within and between nature and ourselves.
2. Koo Jeong A at The Korean Pavilion
KOO JEONG A, “ODORAMA CITIES,” Korean Pavilion 2024, La Biennale di Venezia, Installation view, Courtesy of Pilar Corrias, London, and PKM Gallery, Seoul, Photo Mark Blower.
Commissioned by Arts Council Korea, the Korean Pavilion at the 60th Venice Biennale, titled “ODORAMA CITIES,” spotlights Korean artist Koo Jeong A. and journeys through our subjective perception and memory of spaces, often defined by our keen sense of smell. Curated by Seolhui Lee and Jacob Fabricius, the exhibition unveils 17 exclusive scents that were derived from Koo’s open call for scent memories in the Korean peninsula last year. The provocative question “What is your scent memory of Korea?” gathered over 600 thoughtful, written messages by the public. In a continuation of the inspired artist’s study of transcendence and ethereality, a wooden floor is debuted within the Pavilion with soaring Möbius-shaped sculptures, as well as a levitating bronze figure that emits a transformative scent.
3. Jean Cocteau: The Juggler’s Revenge at the Peggy Guggenheim Collection
Philippe Halsman, “Jean Cocteau,” New York, 1949, © Philippe Halsman / Magnum Photos; published by The Peggy Guggenheim Collection.
From April 13 through September 16, 2024, the Peggy Guggenheim Collection presents Jean Cocteau: The Juggler’s Revenge, the largest retrospective ever organized in Italy dedicated to Jean Cocteau (1889–1963), the enfant terrible of the French twentieth-century art scene. Organized by eminent Cocteau specialist and New York University art historian Kenneth E. Silver, the exhibition highlights the artist’s versatility, the multiple juggling acts that distinguished his production, which often drew criticism from his contemporaries. Loans from prestigious institutions, such as the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris, the Phoenix Art Museum, the Nouveau Musée National de Monaco, and the Musée Jean Cocteau, Collection Séverin Wunderman in Menton, as well as major private collections, including the Cartier Collection, gather over one hundred and fifty works in an impressive variety of media. — Source
4. Lee Bae’s “La Maison de la Lune Brûlée,” at Wilmotte Foundation
Lee Bae, “La Maison de la Lune Brûlée,” Collateral Event of the 60th International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia, curated by Valentina Buzzi, organised by the Fondation d’Entreprise Wilmotte and the Hansol Foundation/ Museum SAN in collaboration with Johyun Gallery; published by Lee Bae Studio.
The exhibition “La Maison de La Lune Brûlée” explores Lee Bae’s deep connection with Daljip Teugi, a century-old ritual synchronized with cyclical cosmology, intertwining folklore with contemporary art. It delves into humanity’s intrinsic connection with nature, advocating for a return to renewal and circularity. This two-part exhibition engages folk, local, and global communities, unfolding before and during the Biennale. Preceding the Biennale, we collected messages worldwide, transcribing them onto hanji paper, a traditional Korean medium. These messages, embodying wishes for the new year, became integral to the Moonhouse Burning ritual held on February 24th in Cheong-do during the inaugural full moon. Throughout the 60th International Art Exhibition, La Biennale di Venezia, the exhibition hosted at the Wilmotte Foundation allows visitors to immerse themselves in the essence of Daljip Teugi and its primary material, charcoal, Lee Bae’s signature medium. — Source
5. Drinks at Harry’s Bar
Published by Harry’s Bar, Venice, Italy.
On May 13, 1931, Giuseppe Cipriani Senior opened Harry’s Bar in Venice. Over the years, Harry’s Bar became the place where writers, painters, artists, aristocrats, kings and queens would meet. Among them there were: Barbara Hutton, Katherine Hepburn, Gary Cooper, Giancarlo Menotti, Peggy Guggenheim, Orson Welles, Frank Lloyd Wright, Joe di Maggio, Truman Capote and Ernest Hemingway. The keys to the success of this tiny Bar were: service, freedom and lack of imposition. — Source
6. Dinner at Ristorante Quadri in Piazza San Marco
Published by Ristorante Quadri in Piazza San Marco, Venice, Italy.
Located directly above Grancaffè Quadri in a space that was originally occupied by Venetian governmental officials during the Serenissima, the restaurant has been open to the public since 1844. With the arrival of the Alajmo family in 2011, the restaurant gained international attention and received a Michelin star within a year. In early 2018, the dining room was completely renovated based on the vision of Philippe Starck and the Alajmo brothers. The work was carried out by skilled Venetian artisans focused on revealing the original beauty and magic of the place. Created by Max Alajmo and carried out by executive chefs Silvio Giavedoni and Sergio Preziosa, the Ristorante Quadri menu highlights contemporary interpretations of traditional Venetian and Italian dishes made with ingredients sourced directly from the Venetian lagoon. Guests can choose between two tasting menus as well as à la carte options. — Source
