In Praise of Doubt at Punta della Dogana

Sunday, April 10 was the opening of In Praise of Doubt, the latest contemporary art exhibition held at Punta della Dogana, a former Venetian customs house built in the 17th century and redesigned by architect Tadao Ando.
The exhibition In Praise of Doubt offers a thematic presentation exploring the strength and weakness of the human condition, based on a selection of works from the Francois Pinault Foundation Collection.


Drawing on emblematic works from the 1960s - and right up to the most contemporary  creations - the exhibition aims to pay homage to doubt in its most dynamic manifestations; through its strength in challenging prejudices, conventions and certainties.


The specific architectural nature of Punta della Dogana emphasizes this proposition. Each artist is presented in a dedicated area, and yet each is open to the others, as a result of the transparent features and passageways of the building.


The exhibition illustrates the passion and commitment of the collector, French billionaire fashion tycoon Francois Pinault, who has appointed Caroline Bourgeois as the curator of this show.


Of the 20 artists shown in the exhibition In Praise of Doubt, almost half have never been included in previous exhibitions of the François Pinault Collection. The artists include Adel Abdessemed, Marcel Broodthaers, Maurizio Cattelan, Subodh Gupta, David Hammons, Roni Horn, Thomas Houseago, Donald Judd, Edward Kienholz, Jeff Koons, Paul McCarthy, Julie Mehretu, Bruce Nauman, Sigmar Polke, Thomas Shütte, Elaine Sturtevant, Tatiana
Trouvé and Chen Zhen. The exhibition will present newly commissioned works by Julie Mehretu and Tatiana Trouvé, specially created for the site.

Jeff  Koons
Hanging Heart (Red/Gold), 1994-2006

Donald Judd
Untitled

Adel Abdessemed
Practice Zero Tolerance, 2006, Sculpture, cast of a BMW, terracotta
Wall Drawing, 2006, Barbed wire

Bruce Nauman
3 Heads Fountain, 2005
Perfect Door, Perfect Odor, Perfect Rodo, 1972

Elaine Sturtevant
Felix Gonzalez-Torres, AMERICA AMERICA, 2004

Tatiana Trouve
Notes pour une construction, 2011

Maurizio Cattelan
All, 2008, 9 sculptures, white Carrara marble "P"

Julie Mehretu
Untitled, 2011, ink and acrylic on canvas

Courtesy Francois Pinault Foundation / Punta della Dogana, Venice
Palazzo Grassi

In Praise of Doubt, April 10, 2011 - December 31, 2012
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