Casa Sanlorenzo: a new cultural hub on the Grand Canal
Sanlorenzo, a global icon of Italian yachting and design, has inaugurated Casa Sanlorenzo in Venice, a cultural hub dedicated to art, dialogue, and environmental awareness.
Housed in a 1940s villa restored by Sanlorenzo’s Art Director Piero Lissoni, with views of the Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute, Casa Sanlorenzo reflects the brand’s philosophy: where beauty and responsibility go hand in hand.
Accessible via the first pedestrian bridge built in Venice since 2008, this opening marks a bold new chapter: Sanlorenzo brings its nautical excellence into the cultural heart of the lagoon.
Breathtaking: Fabrizio Ferri’s art against ocean pollution
The inaugural exhibition at Casa Sanlorenzo is “Breathtaking”, an installation conceived by internationally renowned photographer and artist Fabrizio Ferri.
After its acclaimed debut at the Natural History Museum in Milan – attracting over 40,000 visitors in just four weeks – Breathtaking now arrives in Venice with a brand-new element: a portrait of musician and activist Sting, the thirteenth subject in the collection.
The installation is a powerful denunciation of plastic and microplastic pollution in the oceans. Ferri portrays 13 iconic international figures – including Willem Dafoe, Helena Christensen, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Julianne Moore, Isabella Rossellini, Naomi Watts, and Susan Sarandon – suspended in plastic, captured in breathless stillness that symbolizes the silent suffocation of marine ecosystems.
At the center of the installation, a transparent glass coffin filled with seawater becomes a stark symbol of the fragility of aquatic life. Surrounding it, large-format photographs hang on a black wall, pierced by hand-forged iron nails.The immersive experience is further enriched by the contribution of Marina Abramović, who proposed the use of noise-canceling headphones to recreate the deafening silence of the ocean depths.
The artist’s vision
“Not long ago, I saw disturbing images of a dolphin and a seal suffocated by plastic bags,” recalls Fabrizio Ferri. “In that moment, I realized that polluting the oceans means condemning ourselves. With Breathtaking, I wanted to convey this awareness, asking iconic figures of our time to lend their image to a universal message.”
Casa Sanlorenzo: an highlight of Venice’s cultural season
The exhibition opened during two of Venice’s most prestigious events: the Venice Architecture Biennale 2025 and the Venice Film Festival. The launch brought together leaders from the worlds of yachting, art, architecture, and cinema. Among them, the award-winning actor Willem Dafoe, whose portrait is featured in the series.
“Casa Sanlorenzo is a natural extension of our philosophy: with Breathtaking we open not only an exhibition, but a dialogue on the future of our oceans,” stated Massimo Perotti, Executive Chairman of Sanlorenzo.
The exhibition is open to the public until November 23, 2025, from Thursday to Sunday, 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Fabrizio Ferri: a master of photography and social commitment
Born in Rome in 1952, Fabrizio Ferri is a photographer, filmmaker, entrepreneur, and philanthropist recognized worldwide. He has worked with leading international magazines – including Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, and Vanity Fair – and has portrayed icons such as Madonna, Monica Bellucci, Julia Roberts, Charlize Theron, and Beyoncé.
He founded Industria Superstudio in Milan and New York, created Eataly, and launched the University of the Image, an institute dedicated to sensory perception. In 2022, he directed Portrait of the Queen, a documentary presented at the Rome Film Festival and distributed worldwide.
As a philanthropist, Ferri has raised millions for education and health initiatives, including Stop Think Give, a campaign with Bulgari and Save the Children. In 2025, he published his first book Fin Qui (Rizzoli).
Sanlorenzo: over 60 years of Italian excellence
Founded in 1958, Sanlorenzo is the world leader in the construction of tailor-made yachts and superyachts over 24 meters. Since 2005, under the leadership of Massimo Perotti, the brand has expanded globally and was listed on the Milan Stock Exchange in 2019.
The group now operates six specialized shipyards in Italy, produces yachts from 24 to over 70 meters, and includes Bluegame and, since 2024, the prestigious sailing brand Nautor Swan.
With the strategy “Road to 2030”, Sanlorenzo leads the industry toward sustainable innovation, introducing technologies such as methanol fuel cells and hydrogen-powered tenders. Through the Sanlorenzo Foundation and Sanlorenzo Arts, the company promotes culture, sustainability, and its deep connection with the sea.
Casa Sanlorenzo: a beacon of art and sustainability
The opening of Casa Sanlorenzo in Venice is more than the launch of a new exhibition venue. It is the creation of a cultural platform where art, design, and the sea converge with environmental awareness.
With Breathtaking by Fabrizio Ferri, Sanlorenzo demonstrates that beauty must also carry responsibility. This powerful artistic statement establishes Casa Sanlorenzo as a new landmark for dialogue between art, yachting, and sustainability.
