Akka Project

From the artist’s working table to the artwork itself: Dawit Abebe’s reflection on physical presence and the marks it leaves behind gradually took shape, transforming fragments, sketches, and observations into “Layers of Venice”.

Join us during the last days of the exhibition and discover how this research evolved into the final installation.

Two lions, one encounter
In this work, Dawit Abebe reflects on the meeting between two symbols that have shaped the histories of Venice and Ethiopia: the Lion of Saint Mark and the Lion of Judah, sitting face to face in silence at the centre of the composition. Stripped of their traditional attributes, which remain at the margins of the work, the two figures create a space where their shared presence becomes the starting point for encounter and reflection.

Inspired by the presence of the lion throughout Venice, Abebe developed this work during his residency in the city, combining postcards with personal images from his walks through Venice. Through collage, his own experience becomes part of the composition, bringing together observation, presence and lived experience.

“Layers of Venice” is on view at AKKA Project Venezia until July 31, 2026.

Some cities are understood at first glance, but Venice asks for something else: time, attention, and a willingness to return.

“Layers of Venice” reflects this rhythm through a body of work that embraces the city’s quiet complexity, where each composition holds a different fragment of place, light, and memory. Ancient maps, postcards and Venetian symbols weave through the artworks, revealing the intimate and layered encounter of Dawit Abebe with the city.

Don’t miss the chance to visit the exhibition, on view at AKKA Project Venezia until July 31, 2026.

Photo credits: Beatrice Foti

And like all journeys, this experience too has come to an end. Today is the conclusion of Dawit Abebe’s takeover of our profile, as he prepares to leave Venice after two inspiring months in residence.

A period of encounters, exchange, research, and artistic exploration that culminated in the creation of a new body of work, unveiled in “Layers of Venice”, the exhibition presenting the outcome of his residency at AKKA Project.

Thank you, Dawit!

📍 “Layers of Venice by Dawit Abebe. The Residency Outcome”
🗓️ On view until July 31, 2026

Photo credits: Beatrice Foti

As we approach the end of Dawit Abebe’s residency at AKKA Project Venice, we are delighted to invite you to the opening of “Layers of Venice”, the exhibition marking the outcome of his artistic research in the city.

Through slow observation, repeated walks, and an intimate engagement with Venice’s shifting landscapes, Dawit has developed a body of work that reflects on his personal encounter with the city’s hidden narratives and layered identity.

Join us on Thursday June 18th, from 6 pm at our venetian venue to celebrate the end of this journey and discover the works conceived through this unique experience.

Please confirm your attendance through the RSVP link in bio.

Photo credits Beatrice Foti

Burano Threads 🪡

While exploring Burano, was struck by the island’s vibrant houses, whose brightly coloured facades are traditionally associated with the local fishing community and life on the lagoon. Today, they remain one of Burano’s most distinctive features, reflecting a history deeply rooted in everyday life and local tradition.

The journey then continued inside the lace workshops, where he observed the making process up close, speaking with artisans and witnessing how intricate patterns take shape through gestures refined over generations. Patience, precision, and skilled hands sustain a practice that is still carefully preserved and passed on through daily work.

In the artist’s eyes, Burano reveals itself as a place where colour, craft, and collective memory remain closely intertwined, carrying its cultural heritage into the present.

Windows of Venice ✨

While exploring Venice, was drawn to the city’s windows. Overlooking canals, courtyards, and narrow streets, each one offered a different perspective on the life unfolding beyond it.

Collected throughout his walks, each window becomes a reminder that every view is partial, and that new ways of seeing often begin with a simple shift in position.
This idea also extends to art, understood as a set of openings onto the world: spaces of exchange where contemporary practice meets broader cultural contexts, each offering a different way of looking and understanding.

Inside the world of Murano Glass with

During his time on Murano island, moved through workshops and furnaces, observing the precision, rhythm, and physicality behind each process. Between heat, breath, and molten material, every moment reveals the balance between control and unpredictability that defines Murano’s glass-making tradition.

Spending time alongside master artisans and glass makers offered a closer understanding of a practice where technique is inseparable from memory, and where knowledge continues to pass through observation, repetition, and daily work.

Thank you Dylan for taking the time!

Venice Encounters ✨

During the opening weeks of Biennale Arte 2026, Venice becomes a shifting landscape of conversations, shared time, and unexpected meetings. Between pavilion visits, walks across the city, and moments spent at the gallery admiring ’s works, each day was shaped by the people passing by.
Some encounters reconnect existing friendships, while others emerge naturally through the rhythm and intensity of the weeks.

Across these days, a living network of interactions begins to form, held together by curiosity, presence, and the experience of gathering around art.