From May 9 to November 22, 2026, the historic Sala Sansovino of the Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana in Venice will host the seventh and final chapter of Momentary Monument - The Library, a project by artist Lara Favaretto featured among the collateral events of the 61st Biennale. This initiative involves the Italian National Institute for Astrophysics (INAF), with direct contributions from the libraries of Palermo, Arcetri, and the "Margherita Hack" in Trieste.
The installation takes the form of a monolithic structure positioned at the center of the historic hall, housing approximately 3,500 volumes presented as a critical space for the verification and transmission of knowledge. The project actively involves libraries from various universities and research institutes. Within this framework, the INAF libraries also contributed to forming the collection of the displayed book heritage. These texts were not chosen for their rarity or antiquarian prestige, but for their documentary density. They are specialized volumes that survive as physical, legible traces of scientific production, engaging with the processes of dissemination and preservation of knowledge in the digital age.
The artwork invites the public to a direct interaction: visitors can browse the books and choose to take one, assuming personal custody. Each volume also conceals a secret image from the artist's archive, creating a unique bond between the reader and the object. In dialogue with the works of Monia Ben Hamouda, the project transforms the library into a changing organism, where the circulation of the book becomes a collective act of sharing and responsibility toward our cultural heritage.
