Belgian artist Luc Tuymans has created two new paintings, "Heat" and "Musicians" (2025), for the altar of the Abbey of San Giorgio Maggiore, a 16th-century church on a Venetian island. The works temporarily replace two canvases by Jacopo Tintoretto—"The Last Supper" and "The People of Israel in the Desert"—which are undergoing restoration funded by the Save Venice conservation charity. The commission was organized by Benedicti Claustra Onlus and the Draiflessen Collection, and the paintings will be on view from May 9 to November 23.
This installation matters because it places contemporary art directly within a functioning sacred space, challenging how artworks are perceived outside a museum context. Tuymans's engagement with the Palladian basilica's architecture and the site's religious history continues a tradition of artist interventions at San Giorgio Maggiore, following previous installations by Anish Kapoor and Berlinde Der Bruyckere. The project also highlights the ongoing dialogue between historical and contemporary art, as Tuymans's works temporarily replace Tintoretto's masterpieces while they undergo conservation.