The Fluxum Foundation supports the world acclaimed artist Joseph Kosuth who will present a unique work of art on the Island of San Lazzaro, at the Mekhitarian monastery. 

The Joseph Kosuth’ piece of art, called "The Language of Equilibrium", will be show between June the 6th, 2007 and November the 21st, 2007.This project is a collateral event of the 52nd International Art Exhibition, La Biennale di Venezia. 

Joseph Kosuth has described the project as follows: ‘This project, in yellow neon, has as its basis language itself. It is a work which is both a reflection on its own construction as well as on the history and culture of its location. This work is comprised of words from the Armenian, Italian and English language. Language here is used as a signifier of the history of the project of the Mekhitarian Order. Yellow neon is chosen for this work because of the symbolic understanding of yellow at the time of the founding of the monastery as meaning ‘virtue, intellect, esteem and majesty’ (Böckler, 1688). The two supportive components of the work, based on the word ‘water’, are comprised of words arrived at through a view of their history and use. 

La Biennale di VeneziaOne aspect of this installation shows this relationship. The other part reflects the role of these words in the Haygazian Pararan, or Armenian Dictionary (1749) compiled by Abbot Mekhitar, founder of the Order. The structure of this installation has two elements, which are integrated on four diverse architectural locations: the bell tower, the northwest wall, the promontory, the observatory. These four locations reflect both the diversity of the island’s architecture as well as articulating its history and culture. The work engages the cultural and social history of the evolution of language itself, how the history of a word shows its ties to cultures and social realities quite distinct and disconnected. It is only in the present when a word is used, as it is with a work of art being experienced, that all that which comprises the present finds its location in the process of making meaning. Here, in this work, language becomes both an allegory and an actual result of all of which it should want to speak.’ 

Opening: June 6, from 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm 
Vaporetto n. 20 from San Zaccaria, departure at 6:30, 7:50 and 8:30 pm 

On June 6-7-8-9 a boat service will be available from Giardini to the Island of San Lazzaro. 
Dates: June 10 – November 21, 2007 

Public opening hours of the Monastic Headquarters of the Mekhitarian Order: every day from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm 

How to reach the Island of San Lazzaro: Vaporetto n. 20 
Vaporetto timetable: 
from San Zaccaria to San Lazzaro h. 3:10 pm 
from San Lazzaro to San Zaccaria h. 4:45 pm or 5:25 pm

A project by ART for The World, Geneva – Milan, NGO associated with the United Nations Department of Public Information 
In collaboration with Hangar Bicocca Spazio d’Arte Contemporanea, Milan 
Courtesy Galerie Gmurzynska, Zug and Zürich