Il Cadavere Squisito – Una performance per il ucceli
La Biennale di Venezia – Piazza San Marco – Venerdi 11 Giugno, 1993, ore 17.
A one-day sculpture / performance for the opening of the Venice Biennial, with the subtitle “A performance for pigeons”.
A full-size figure of a sitting woman made completely out of bread, looking like a very old mummy or a fair and serene Madonna, placed in the middle of Piazza San Marco, Venice..
A performance preceding this event began an hour earlier, a procession, from the island of Giudecca. The “Lady in Bread” was carried in a chair like a saint, through the streets and into the vaporetto. She sailed across the water and was received at Riva Schiavoni by an adoring crowd of followers. The masses followed her to the final station in Piazza San Marco where she was left sitting awaiting her fate.
The pigeons picked and nibbled, the tourists helped themselves to chunks and, at night, Venetian hooligans finally ravaged her.
The little that was left of her (a complete left foot, a half right foot and the left hand) was carefully transported to Stockholm, where it became “Reliquias” (Relics).