Carole Feuerman spent three years creating her notorious sculpture, Survival of Serena. This four foot by twelve foot sculpture, which was made of resin and oil-painted fiberglass, depicted a woman grasping onto a tube. Feuerman was inspired to create this sculpture by the recent massive flooding in Venice, Italy. Her sculpture was suppposed to be one of the main exhibits at a show in Miami. However, it was somehow completely destroyed on the trip from Italy to Miami. It was flown on Continental Airlines and then transported by a vehicle. No one is sure how the sculpture came to be so destroyed but it was discovered in that condition on November 26 in a warehouse in Miami. Unfortunately for Feuerman, her work was demolished and she will most likely receive only $9,100, rather than the sculpture's $300,000 value. Join discussion...

The Piazza San Marco is one of the most popular spots in the city of Venice. But when sections of the centuries-old buildings around the square began to crumble, the superintendent of Venice, Renata Codello, was faced with a tough decision. Venice is respected as a city with very few advertisements; but she knew that the government could not pay for repairs. Now, hanging from the scaffolds covering the buildings under reconstruction, fly several huge banners urging us to buy watches and cars. The city of Venice has signed a deal with a large advertising company, Plakativ, which is funding the repairs in exchange for control of this prominent ad space. Of course a lot of people are upset at this encroachment upon historic space, but the superintendent says she had "no choice," what with her liability for injuries to tourists and all. Join discussion...

People in Venice are complaining over the recent advertisements that are being displayed on scaffolding next to buildings. People claim that the ads take away from the beauty of the buildings. Venice is also known as a city with almost no advertising so the recent bill boards have really angered people. Join discussion...

A Muslim woman visiting a gallery with her family in Venice, Italy was pulled aside by a guard because of her veil. She was questioned by the manager of the gallery and released to continue browsing, but chose to leave the building. There is in fact a law in Italy making it illegal to cover one's face in public. This law, instated in 1975, was designed to counter the threat of terrorism. The manager of the gallery supports the action of his employee, saying it was what he expected anyone to do as a matter of security. The Venice City Council disagrees, however, stating that under certain conditions the law does not apply and people should be able to tell the difference. Join discussion...