Port Wines board "Cacilheiro" by Joana Vasconcelos - Venice Biennale 2013
The "Trafaria Praia", former ferry transformed by the artist Joana Vasconcelos to become Portugal's Pavilion for the Venice Biennale, 2013, will have special guests during shows: a 2003 Vintage port wine and a 10 Years Old Tawny Port Wine , special editions, and whose labels were designed by the artist herself.
The partnership held between the Instituto dos Vinhos do Douro e do Porto (IVDP) and Joana Vasconcelos' atelier, intends to strengthen the role of the ferry recovered to promote Portuguese culture across borders.
Manuel de Novaes Cabral, IVDP's President, believes that "Port Wine is one of the most recognizable elements of Portuguese culture across borders and deserves a prominent place, along with other domestic products, as ambassadors of Portugal, in an event as important as the Venice Biennale".The 10 Years Old Tawny Port and the 2003 Vintage, two special editions of Port especially labeled for the Venice Biennale 2013, with opening May 31. Two special labels were designed by the artist to honor the Portuguese culture-one for the bottles of 10 years and another for the vintage: "Joana Vasconcelos Trafaria Praia Vintage Port 2003" and "Joana Vasconcelos Trafaria Praia 10 Years Old Port" are the hallmarks of the commemorative wines.
"Trafaria Praia" is the name of the ferry that Transtejo ofered Joana Vasconcelos to be transformed into a work of art. The artist was challenged to create a project to represent the country in Venice, where Portugal no longer has a pavilion and decided, as well, "to transform a Portuguese vessel in a flagship exhibition space and, at the same time, into a work of art".
The ferry-which will be transported to Venice by sea on top of a vessel-was changed on the top floor to create an open area, where lectures and concerts are programmed with Portuguese artists.
According to Joana Vasconcelos, "with this floating Pavilion, Portugal will have the possibility of having more visibility in a very competitive exhibit, with about 90 countries projects". Joana Vasconcelos, has already made several projects in exhibitions at the Venice Biennale, but, this year, is responsible for the official Portuguese representation for the first time.
