The secret gem of Venice: Palazzo Fortuny Mariano Fortuny (1871-1949) was a remarkable painter, stage, and textile designer. Born into a family of artists, with a curiosity and spirit devoted to creative experimentation and scientific research, Fortuny epitomized the Renaissance ideal of cross-discipline exploration and expression. Tomorrow, we take a look inside.
Co-Founder, COLLINS: SF/NYC, D&AD Design Company of the Year, AdAge Business Transformation Agency of The Year, Design Agency of the Year, Fast Company Best in Design, President / The Art Directors Club
We all have secrets. Mine are scattered around the planet. Hidden away in old parts of old cities, ancient forests and distant landscapes. ..... At COLLINS, we are lucky. We get to travel around the world with our clients. We are also lucky to be invited to speak around the world, too. And on each one of these trips, we seek the undiscovered. Places that would not (necessarily) show up on a tourist's map. "Don't be afraid to go into the unknown, for hidden places hold the greatest treasures," I learned long ago. My grandfather, when I told him at 28 that I had a job offer that would take me far from home, hit me with an encouraging reminder: Embrace every unanticipated challenge that will come with exploring new ground. “I left Ireland in 1918. You’re here because of that decision. So, go. We’ll always be here with a house and room. So, Brian...GO.” I have been a traveler ever since. I GO. And as my team and I now travel everywhere today, we explore the unfamiliar, the hidden, the off-the-well-worn-path. You can be renewed in such places. You can repair your imagination surrounded by the unfamiliar. And, best of all, you can bring your friends. Over the last year, my colleagues and I have traveled to London, Glasgow, Iceland, Shenzhen, Beijing, Australia, Ireland, Barcelona, Ecuador, Mexico, New Zealand, Lisbon, Croatia, Paris, Rome, Rio de Janeiro and Venice. In Venice just a few weeks ago, I took off early for such a hidden place. My colleague Eron Lutterman joined me and recorded it. For those of you who tire of the grim, antiseptic minimalism that passes for “good design" lately, this place is your answer. Palazzo Fortuny is a Gothic palazzo, tucked away in the middle of Venice. Originally home to Mariano Fortuny (1871-1949), a remarkable painter, stage, and textile designer, it is a glorious symphony of maximalism. Tomorrow, we step inside. .
