La casa dell girandole (The Windmill House)Donato Zangrossi (1905 – 1990)

Zangrossi, known as Guido, worked as a laborer at the Sava plant in Maghera, devoting himself in his spare time to astronomy, physics, and philosophy. At the end of the 1960s, after he retired, he worked for a couple of years as a custodian in the Venezuela Pavilion at the famous Venice Art Biennial.

Perhaps influenced by the exhibitions he saw there, he began to produce handmade windmills that he installed in front of his house. Using simple recycled wood he created windmills of various shapes and sizes; they overlooked his courtyard, and became a beloved landmark as they animated his house. They were extant for more than two decades, but they needed continuous maintenance, and after the death of the artist they were swallowed by the Venice canals. However, they continue in memory: many people knew them, and there have been various poems, stories, and paintings dedicated to them.

~Giada Carraro

www.costruttoridibabele.net

Venice, Veneto, 30135 it
Latitude/Longitude: 45.440847 / 12.315515

View Larger Map in New Window