Angelus ex Aqua: Gino Baffo’s Solo Show at MUNAV, Venice

 The Historical Naval Museum of Venice (MUNAV) hosts until January, 06, 2026 Angelus ex Aqua, a solo exhibition by Venetian artist Gino Baffo, curated by Maria Luisa Lasala, and set within the evocative spaces of the Ships Pavilion

Drawing inspiration from the Venetian barene—the fragile tidal landscapes where water, mud and land converge—Angelus ex Aqua presents a cycle of works in which matter and spirituality coexist. Baffo’s Angeli Legati (Bound Angels) emerge from dense, textured surfaces, their silent presence evoking a sense of inner tension and collective unease. These figures appear as fragile messengers, carrying a message that today seems muted in a world overwhelmed by distraction and material excess.

Deeply autobiographical yet universal in scope, the series was born from a pivotal moment in the artist’s life, conceived as a journey into the “void of the soul.” The paintings are characterized by distorted forms, archaic facial features and a restrained yet powerful use of gold, a recurring element in Baffo’s practice that lends the works a sacred, icon-like quality.

Rooted in the legacy of 20th-century Informal painting, Baffo’s work moves beyond rigid form, allowing space and time to dissolve in favor of emotional intensity. His painting reflects a condition of widespread disorientation, where the distance between humanity and ethical or spiritual values feels increasingly evident.

The exhibition features eight previously unseen works, installed around the Scala Reale, one of the most iconic architectural elements of the Padiglione delle Navi. This site-specific layout enhances the intimate, suspended atmosphere of the series while reinforcing the museum’s role as a cultural venue open to dialogue between historical heritage and contemporary artistic research.