piazza san "luxury goods" marco

NOW:

Roger Federer for Rolex Oyster Day-Date Watch, 2008


THEN:

The Piazzetta di San Marco by Canaletto, 1738


NOW:

Chopard Eyewear "Sky of Sighs" Campaign by Oliviero Toscani

THEN:

The Doge's Palace in Venice by Claude Monet, 1908

Jerry Saltz speaking of the Venice Biennale on now:

"The first thing I noticed when I arrived in Venice ... was the volume of advertising. The Bridge of Sighs is totally surrounded by huge colorful billboards for a clothing store. The entire face of the Academia Gallery is completely covered in a gigantic billboard of the Russian boxer Vladimir Klitschko, wearing a red robe and holding gold roller skates, with the word “Curator” next to his head. Maybe sinking malls have no other way of making money." [New York Magazine]

At least when I did a Flickr search: venice+billboard, more "venice beach, california" than "venice, italy" resulted. All the same, it is a shame, it is a reality, and it must be really profitable.