Works by Laura Mega and Daniel Pešta
Curated by Dadja Altenburg Kohl and Chiara Modìca Donà dalle Rose
The exhibition Where My Soul Compiles is a joint project of the Venice-based Fondazione Donà dalle Rose and MuMo – Museum Montanelli from Prague. It features works by Laura Mega and Daniel Pešta at Venice’s Garibaldi Gallery and is curated by Dadja Altenburg Kohl and Chiara Modìca Donà dalle Rose.
Where My Soul Compiles is an existential and psychological exploration of a place – real or metaphorical – where the soul gathers, integrates, and expresses its deepest truth.
In a time marked by fragmentation and conflict, this reflection becomes particularly urgent, highlighting the need to find a space of inner calm, emotional clarity, and genuine belonging. The project’s title arises from the meeting of ancient spiritual language and the digital term “code compilation” – a technical process that assembles diverse elements into a coherent and functional whole. Similarly, the exhibition examines how human experience, both individual and collective, can find meaning through the harmonious recomposition of emotions, memories, and values. The exhibition strongly emphasises attentive listening to emotional wounds, social and civic suffering, and the human ability to form authentic connections. Rather than a traditional exhibition, it offers a sensory, participatory, and emotionally engaging experience.
It aims to create an emotional and communicative bridge between the artworks and visitors, offering an encounter that goes beyond mere aesthetic contemplation towards genuine sharing of feelings and sensitivities. The project invites a rediscovery of the soul – both individual and collective – and encourages a profound reconnection with the complexity and fragility of human existence in contemporary society. It aims to inspire viewers to reconnect with their own authentic humanity and to foreground values such as compassion, empathy, and humanity as foundations for reflection and dialogue.
Artists and works
The project brings together two international artists, Daniel Pešta and Laura Mega, whose practices engage in a subtle yet intense dialogue with contemporary issues of significant social and human relevance. Within the exhibition space, paintings and installations alternate.
In a series of new watercolours, Daniel Pešta explores – much like in the writings of Sigmund Freud – the concept of sublimation as a psychological defence mechanism that enables individuals to survive seemingly insoluble life situations. Sublimation can also be understood as applicable to today’s global reality, which often exceeds the limits of human comprehension. Pešta addresses the most intimate shadows of both personal and collective existence, frequently buried deep within the unconscious, while always allowing a ray of hope to emerge – hope understood as the only possible way forward.
Laura Mega presents installations that explore the emotional dimension through soft and symbolic materials, with embroidered fabrics and evocative objects creating an immersive and moving environment. These works prompt profound reflection on the dynamics of conflict and love, translating themes such as fragility, collective memory, and mutual care into tactile and participatory forms.
The works of both artists are intended to be traversed and experienced by the public, evoking dialogue between absence and presence, pain and comfort, and generating sensory and intellectual engagement that amplifies the universal message of humanity and connection.
Charitable dimension
In November, at the conclusion of the exhibition, a charity sale of selected works from the installations will be organised. Part of the proceeds will be donated to Save the Children’s campaign “Stop the War on Children”, which aims to:
- raise awareness of the devastating impact of armed conflicts on children,
- support concrete actions ensuring children’s access to health care, education, and safety, even in conflict zones, call on governments and institutions to protect children’s rights and promote peace.
Venue
Garibaldi Gallery
Via Giuseppe Garibaldi, Castello 1815, 30122 Venice
Opening hours: Tuesday – Sunday
May – September, 11am – 7pm
October – November, 10am – 6pm
Free entry
Press materials and photos download
