Helping Hands

Art-world help for a sinking city.

For the 2017 edition of the Biennale di Venezia, artist Lorenzo Quinn decided to give the 14th Century architecture of the Ca'Sagredo Hotel a helping hand, or two. The 5,000 pound temporary sculptures were intended to draw attention to climate change and how it could affect one of the world's favorite cities.

By the end of this century, the Mediterean sea could easily rise five feet. That means that almost the entire city could be submerged as early as 2100.  And parts of the city could be affected much earlier.  Let's face it, parts of Venice already spend a portion of every year underwater.

So the work of the former Italian actor-turned-sculptor (he just happens to be the son of Anthony Quinn)is not just wonder-inducing. It's a plea for help to save not just endangered gems like Venice, but the planet at large.