Venice 2025: Fondation Valmont Explores Identity Through Art

Revealed in May and still running through the fall, Telemachus – The Quest for Self deserves a spot on your Venice itinerary this summer. Presented by the Fondation Valmont inside Palazzo Bonvicini, the exhibition marks the second act of a contemporary trilogy inspired by Homer’s Odyssey. This chapter turns the spotlight on Telemachus, the son in search of his father—and himself.

The show dives deep into themes of inheritance, self-construction, and intergenerational dialogue. But don’t expect a nostalgic walk through myths. Telemachus is sharp, emotional, and rooted in the now. Through sculpture, painting, video, and spatial installation, four artists translate a classical tale into a raw conversation about identity.

Walk Through Five Rooms of Conflict, Memory, and Release

In Room 1, artist Jakub Flejšar confronts the viewer with a monumental red steel self-portrait. His stepfather, Pavel Roučka, answers in Room 2 with gestural canvases invoking Odysseus, Penelope, and Telemachus. Together, the works stage an artistic standoff between generations.

The dialogue continues in Room 3, where Maxence Guillon installs The Virtuous Circle, a sculpture in gladiator form at the center of a digital arena. His father, Didier Guillon, looms nearby—on screen, observing. Visitors take a seat from the father’s point of view, entering the circle of judgment, pride, and expectation.

In the Room of Dreams, anatomical drawings by Alphonse Lami are printed on translucent totems. The word dream appears above in ten languages, glowing in neon blue. This space occasionally transforms into a meditation zone—with yoga, sound, and silence—for those who book ahead.

Finally, Room 5 introduces suspended textile lamps crafted in Bhutan. Each one reflects a vision of female freedom and previews next year’s final chapter: Penelope.

Explore Palazzo Bonvicini and Valmont’s Quiet Revolution in Venice

The venue itself—Palazzo Bonvicini—dates back to the 16th century. Original terrazzo floors and Renaissance details anchor the show in Venetian history. Next door, Résidence Bonvicini extends the Valmont philosophy into design and hospitality, with suites styled after Murano, Burano, and Torcello.

TELEMACHUS. The Quest for Self