Francesco Ciardiello (AXIS) at the Venice Biennale with 'Longevity'

Francesco Ciardiello (AXIS) debuts at the Venice Biennale with Longevity

AXIS, the artistic pseudonym of sculptor Francesco Ciardiello, is on display at the Venice Art Biennale with Longevity, a sculptural series merging traditional techniques with digital processes.

The cycle consists of eighteen works in varying sizes, executed in bronze and marble. One piece is exhibited at Palazzo Donà dalle Rose in the Equatorial Guinea pavilion (not in the competition).

Project highlights

• Materials: patinated bronze and polished marble.
• Method: combination of 3D modelling and hands-on sculptural finishing.
• Imagery: busts with elongated necks that bridge classical and modern references, exploring the tension between body and ideal form.
• Public scale: a monumental two-metre work will be presented at a Vatican-hosted event.

Ciardiello uses 3D printing and foundry techniques as investigative tools: layered bronze surfaces converse with the smooth marble heads to create a dialogue between historical memory and contemporary aesthetics. The exaggerated neck serves less as ornament and more as a structural device that shifts the body's equilibrium toward a different temporal perception.

Longevity beyond Venice

The project is also included in the Vatican Longevity Summit, where one of the monumental works will be unveiled. The Summit takes place on 25-26 May 2026 at the Ateneo Pontificio Regina Apostolorum - Auditorium Giovanni Paolo II, bringing together science, ethics and culture to rethink aging.

For contemporary art audiences, Longevity is a clear example of sculpture renewing itself through the dialogue between digital tools and artisanal practice, prompting reflection on time, the body and enduring form.