The usual open skyline, dotted with green trees flourishing on tiny islands off the main port of Venice, was suddenly filled with an astounding sight: as if materialised from a dream a large flotilla carrying a huge pair of disembodied hands playing with life-size tanks and toy soldiers appeared alongside us, unexpectedly and momentarily altering our horizon. Lorenzo Quinn (son of the great Anthony), drove a huge art work up next to our radio station. The flotilla was doggedly pushed along by a two tier tug boat driven by a team of Italians, with Lorenzo on board and the metal tank spinning in the dying sunlight.
The work, despite it’s overly obvious title sprayed by hand in red on the side “This Is Not a Game” worked wonderfully as a moving intervention. We hopped on board and offered up some Amaro Nonino, a special Italian recipe featured on the Osloo platform where we were based. The image of immense ideas floating on the water taking people by surprise was what really struck me. How fixed life can be, and how important intervention is becoming as everything that is natural and outside human control recedes from modern living. Those good things that you do not predict, when they take you by surprise, are a gift.
Six Pillars 