Get your skates on: artist puts ice rink in Venice palazzo

An ice rink has opened in Venice on the eve of the Winter Olympics in Milan (6-22 February), thanks to Olaf Nicolai. The German artist hopes visitors will put on their blades and hit the ice at the 18th-century Palazzo Diedo in Venice, home of the Berggruen Arts & Culture foundation (until 22 February). The sporty work, titled Eisfeld II, is located in the palazzo’s frescoed grand banqueting hall on the first floor and is accompanied by a soundtrack from the Berlin band To Rococo Rot. The installation, which was first developed over 20 years ago, has been specially reinterpreted for the palazzo, with two lightboxes on show at either end. Mario Codognato, the director of Berggruen Arts & Culture, says: “I remember seeing the ice-skating rink and Olaf’s installation in a museum in Zurich about 25 years ago. I was amazed by its combination of gravitas and humour.” Just don’t break a leg.