Image 1.1-The Inauguration of Veniceland 3 Image 1.2-The Social Zones of Venice 12 Image 2.1-Map ... more Image 1.1-The Inauguration of Veniceland 3 Image 1.2-The Social Zones of Venice 12 Image 2.1-Map of Venice and Mestre 30 Image 2.2-The Social Zones of Venice, Expanded 33 Image 2.3-Map of Veniceland Image 3.1-Picnic on a Well Image 4.1-Welcome to Veniceland 37 54 60 1 1-Introduction 1.1 Setting the Scene: The Inauguration of Veniceland Just before noon on a cloudy mid-November day, a blue, black and yellow topa (a flat-bottomed lagoon boat) makes its way down the Grand Canal in Venice, Italy. Normally blending into the steady water traffic of tassi, gondole, and vaporetti 1 , today a local band, La Ghenga Fuoriposto, sports black sunglasses and Mickey Mouse ears while performing a satirical song about the increasingly dismal theme-park existence that plagues the historic lagoon city. The boat encroaches upon its final destination: the foot of the controversial Calatrava Bridge, 2 where La Ghenga reprises the song "Venezia 2020" 3 (for lyrics, see Appendix A). As the bluesy tune livens the atmosphere, other boats arrive, and characters in vibrant, Disney-like costumes disembark and gather under a large blue and yellow banner brandishing the name "Veniceland". A larger-than-life emcee brings a megaphone to his mouth. He welcomes visitors to this fantasy fun land, where all can rest and snack, and all sorts of accessories will be accessible at any price, in every corner of the park. In this unforgettable, dream-like atmosphere where "the real protagonist is you!" a young boy asks the charismatic blond woman dressed as Minnie Mouse, "Where is Veniceland?" and receives a hearty laugh in response. With all the pomp and ceremony surrounding this 1 water taxis, gondolas, and water busses. 2 Nicknamed the Calatrava Bridge for its architect, Santiago Calatrava, the Ponte della Costituzione (Bridge of the Constitution) might be perceived as the unofficial "entrance" to Venice, as it connects incomers from the bus traffic of the Piazzale Roma station to the thoroughfare that leads most directly down to the main tourist sites and heart of the city. The fourth and most recent bridge (2008) to cross the Grand Canal (all except the Rialto Bridge were built in the 20 th century), the Calatrava is largely disliked for its sleek modern design and material, generally perceived as incongruous with the iconic Venetian Gothic architecture surrounding it, and slippery and awkwardly spaced steps. The greatest outrage for tax-paying citizens, however, was the exorbitant final cost of the production-well above and beyond its original €6.7 million.
The combination of poorly managed mass tourism, rapidly increasing international migration, and a... more The combination of poorly managed mass tourism, rapidly increasing international migration, and a declining economy facilitated a permanent exodus of natives out of the Venetian lagoon. This thesis examines how the community activism group and social network Venessia.com attempts to reclaim a place-‐based and place-‐manifested Venetian identity (venezianità) through theatrical public protests. While members are sensitive to an ethic of intercultural awareness, the discourse accompanying their concerns reveals nostalgia for the power and grandeur of Venice's past that is threatened by a perceived invasion by suspicious outsiders. The theoretical framework I employ to illuminate Venessia.com's efforts includes the socio-‐cultural and economic implications of mass tourism, theory of space and place, and critiques of modernity and postmodernity.
The combination of poorly managed mass tourism, rapidly increasing international migration, and a... more The combination of poorly managed mass tourism, rapidly increasing international migration, and a declining economy facilitated a permanent exodus of natives out of the Venetian lagoon. This thesis examines how the community activism group and social network Venessia.com ...
Image 1.1-The Inauguration of Veniceland 3 Image 1.2-The Social Zones of Venice 12 Image 2.1-Map ... more Image 1.1-The Inauguration of Veniceland 3 Image 1.2-The Social Zones of Venice 12 Image 2.1-Map of Venice and Mestre 30 Image 2.2-The Social Zones of Venice, Expanded 33 Image 2.3-Map of Veniceland Image 3.1-Picnic on a Well Image 4.1-Welcome to Veniceland 37 54 60 1 1-Introduction 1.1 Setting the Scene: The Inauguration of Veniceland Just before noon on a cloudy mid-November day, a blue, black and yellow topa (a flat-bottomed lagoon boat) makes its way down the Grand Canal in Venice, Italy. Normally blending into the steady water traffic of tassi, gondole, and vaporetti 1 , today a local band, La Ghenga Fuoriposto, sports black sunglasses and Mickey Mouse ears while performing a satirical song about the increasingly dismal theme-park existence that plagues the historic lagoon city. The boat encroaches upon its final destination: the foot of the controversial Calatrava Bridge, 2 where La Ghenga reprises the song "Venezia 2020" 3 (for lyrics, see Appendix A). As the bluesy tune livens the atmosphere, other boats arrive, and characters in vibrant, Disney-like costumes disembark and gather under a large blue and yellow banner brandishing the name "Veniceland". A larger-than-life emcee brings a megaphone to his mouth. He welcomes visitors to this fantasy fun land, where all can rest and snack, and all sorts of accessories will be accessible at any price, in every corner of the park. In this unforgettable, dream-like atmosphere where "the real protagonist is you!" a young boy asks the charismatic blond woman dressed as Minnie Mouse, "Where is Veniceland?" and receives a hearty laugh in response. With all the pomp and ceremony surrounding this 1 water taxis, gondolas, and water busses. 2 Nicknamed the Calatrava Bridge for its architect, Santiago Calatrava, the Ponte della Costituzione (Bridge of the Constitution) might be perceived as the unofficial "entrance" to Venice, as it connects incomers from the bus traffic of the Piazzale Roma station to the thoroughfare that leads most directly down to the main tourist sites and heart of the city. The fourth and most recent bridge (2008) to cross the Grand Canal (all except the Rialto Bridge were built in the 20 th century), the Calatrava is largely disliked for its sleek modern design and material, generally perceived as incongruous with the iconic Venetian Gothic architecture surrounding it, and slippery and awkwardly spaced steps. The greatest outrage for tax-paying citizens, however, was the exorbitant final cost of the production-well above and beyond its original €6.7 million.
The combination of poorly managed mass tourism, rapidly increasing international migration, and a... more The combination of poorly managed mass tourism, rapidly increasing international migration, and a declining economy facilitated a permanent exodus of natives out of the Venetian lagoon. This thesis examines how the community activism group and social network Venessia.com attempts to reclaim a place-‐based and place-‐manifested Venetian identity (venezianità) through theatrical public protests. While members are sensitive to an ethic of intercultural awareness, the discourse accompanying their concerns reveals nostalgia for the power and grandeur of Venice's past that is threatened by a perceived invasion by suspicious outsiders. The theoretical framework I employ to illuminate Venessia.com's efforts includes the socio-‐cultural and economic implications of mass tourism, theory of space and place, and critiques of modernity and postmodernity.
The combination of poorly managed mass tourism, rapidly increasing international migration, and a... more The combination of poorly managed mass tourism, rapidly increasing international migration, and a declining economy facilitated a permanent exodus of natives out of the Venetian lagoon. This thesis examines how the community activism group and social network Venessia.com ...
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