On May 7, Golden Goose invited a “community of dreamers” to Venice, Italy, to kick off this year’s Biennale of Architecture. The sneaker brand had put together a massive series of interactive art spaces inside its sprawling creative headquarters, HAUS, including an original immersive piece tilted Altered States, by Marco Brambilla, for the event. Actors like Stranger Things’s Amybeth McNulty, Pratibha Ranta, and singer Jack Savoretti were among the attendees—an eclectic mix of skateboarders, artists, and influencers. They’d all been ferried by boat through the city’s iconic canals to Marghera, an industrial shipping port that feels far removed from the historical city of Venice. But Marghera is actually where Golden Goose’s history began 25 years ago. HAUS is part archive, part artisan training ground, and part exhibition space. Think of it as the Golden Goose epicenter for dreaming, where one can learn about the brand’s history by scoping out archival pieces, watching artisans at work on new collaborations, or seeing artworks on display by luminaries who help bring the brand’s ethos to life. This year, one of those artists was Brambilla, who is known for his dreamlike videos, where he creates massive moving collages out of hundreds of film clips.
An immersive tunnel in HAUS.
Courtesy of Golden Goose
The HAUS space was designed for roaming around for hours. Divided into several buildings, one can begin with the academy where hundreds of sneakers hang from the ceiling as artisans work nearby making shoes. Brambilla’s first video, Ovation, which is also on view, features a compilation of movie audiences clapping and reacting to performances.
A labyrinth of Brambilla’s video art and imagery—including tunnels, a room of famous faces floating in bubbles, and hypnotic shorts—all led to a grand hangar where guests were served special bites created by Chef Paolo Griffa, while a kaleidoscopic video collage titled Heaven’s Gate played on a massive screen.
Chef Paolo Griffa serves a light blue risotto.
Courtesy of Golden Goose
Of course, the exhibition was only part of the extravaganza. Toward the end of the winding show, the brand shared its latest shoe launch: a dreamy pair of true star sneakers enveloped in silver sequins.
A look at the creation of Golden Goose’s new sneakers.
Courtesy of Golden Goose
Golden Goose will open the exhibition to the public on May 10 and 11; viewers will also be able to shop exclusive Altered States merchandise online.
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