facolta’ paRANOICA
TURIN , 2022
ON THE OCCASION OF ARTISSIMA 2022 IN TURIN, VGO ASSOCIATES PRESENTS PARANOID FACULTY TO THE OTHERS AT STAND 10 RED. FROM 3 TO 6 NOVEMBER. A PHYSIOLOGICAL FACULTY. EMPATHIC AND TRANSCENDENT AT THE SAME TIME. THE TERM ΠΑΡΆΝΟΙΑ DERIVES FROM GREEK AND MEANS “MADNESS”. MADNESS, WHICH IN ITS HUMANIST PRAISE OF ERASMUS OF ROTTERDAM PROCLAIMS ITSELF TO BE OF “DIVINE” ORIGIN, DAUGHTER OF PLUTO, GOD OF WEALTH AND YOUTH, AND SAYS IT WAS RAISED BY IGNORANCE AND DRUNKENNESS. TODAY WE CAN STATE WITH CERTAINTY THAT THE PARANOID FACULTY IS THAT ESSENTIAL RIGHT TO IMAGINE WHAT DOES NOT EXIST, HEAR WHAT IS WHISPERED IN THE WIND, ENJOY ON THE TONGUE FLAVORS NEVER TASTED BEFORE, TOUCH AND SHAPE MATTER FOLLOWING AN INSPIRATION THAT TAKES OUR WHOLE MIND, MAKING US “EXPERIMENT” AND “FREE” OUR FANTASIES. THE PARANOID FACULTY IS NOTHING OTHER THAN THE USE OF OUR PERCEPTIONS THROUGH WHICH WE UNRAVEL OURSELVES FROM THE CHAOS AND THE CROWD. HERE IS THE WAY TO REVIVE OUR TRUE NATURE, WHICH EMERGES LIKE A RAY IN THE CLOUDS, LIKE A SOURCE OF WATER IN THE DESERT. WE ARE AMONG THE ONE, NONE AND ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND, AMONG IMAGES AND WORDS THAT ARE STERILE BECAUSE THEY ARE EMPTIED OF THEIR MEANING. A SOCIETY OF COMEDIANS WHO NAVIGATE AIMLESSLY WEARING MASKS MADE SPECIFICALLY TO HIDE THEIR WEAKNESSES AND AMBITIONS IN A SOUND AND VISUAL CONTINUITY THAT DISTRACTS AND ENCHANTS LIKE A MUSIC BOX. THE CARNIVAL OF CONSCIOUSNESS, BEHIND THE SCENES HIDE NAKED AND AWKWARD BODIES, ETHEREAL BEAUTIES, DIVINE AND WARM SPARKS CAPABLE OF MELTING THE SNOW LIKE THE SUN, DELIRIOUS FOLLIES, OR ON THE CONTRARY DREAMS TOO “BEIGE” FOR THE MULTI-COLORED CABARET. A REALITY FULL OF IDEAS AND FANTASIES, A DELUSION THAT CAN BECOME AN OBSESSION, AS FOR THOSE WHO FOLLOW THE PATH OF ART, WHICH LEADS TO THE EXALTATION OF FORGOTTEN WORLDS AND NOW UNKNOWN TIMES. THE WARNING TO THE VISITOR IS TO RETURN TO OBSERVING IN PERSPECTIVE, NOURISHING A MULTILATERAL VISION IN A COMMUNION BETWEEN REASON AND IMAGINATION, THE SUM OF THE RAISON D’ÊTRE WHICH IS ACTIVATED THROUGH DAILY RITUALS THAT REMIND US OF WHO WE ARE OUT OF EVERYTHING.
ANNA CAPOLUPO
(LAMEZIA TERME IN 1983) LIVES AND WORKS IN FLORENCE. SHE GRADUATED IN PAINTING AT THE ACADEMY OF FINE ARTS IN FLORENCE. SHE IS AMONG THE WINNERS OF THE 2020 NOCIVELLI AWARD, WINNER OF THE COMBAT PRIZE IN 2016 AND FINALIST IN THE 2014 TERNA AWARD. IN 2022 SHE WAS INVITED TO THE INTERNATIONAL ARTISTIC RESIDENCY PROGRAM VIS À VIS FUORILUOGO 25 CURATED BY LIMITI INCHIUSI; 2019 SHE WAS SELECTED FOR THE RESIDENCY PROGRAM AT LA CASAPARK ART RECIDENCY IN NEW YORK, THE RESIDENZA FACTO IN MONTELUPO FIORENTINO AND SHE TOOK PART IN THE PAINTING SYMPOSIUM OF THE LAC O LE MON FOUNDATION IN SAN CESARIO DI LECCE. HER RESEARCH REVOLVES AROUND THE LIFE OF EVERYDAY THINGS, DULY ORGANIZED IN THE WAKE OF THE PICTORIAL TRADITION OF STILL LIFE. HER WORKS ARE CHARACTERIZED BY THE PRESENCE OF A PLATFORM, ON WHICH CHILDHOOD GAMES, PLANTS AND COMMONLY USED OBJECTS REST; A PLANE OF SYMBOLIC VALUE WHICH ELEVATES, AS IN A THEATRICAL SCENE, THE ORDINARY AND THE PROSAIC TO AN EXTRAORDINARY AND ENIGMATIC DIMENSION. THE DREAMLIKE ATMOSPHERE IS GIVEN BY THE COLOUR, BY THE OUTLINE OF THE ELEMENTS DEVOTED TO THE UNFINISHED, BLENDING IN WITH THE SURROUNDING SCENE, IT IS THE SINGULAR COMBINATION OF CERTAIN ELEMENTS, FOUND MORE FOR FUN THAN FOR THEIR PRACTICAL REASON. THE PLANS NATURALLY FRAME AND EXPOSE THE ARTIST’S INNER WORLD, DIVIDED BETWEEN DREAM AND REALITY. YOU COLLABORATE WITH VARIOUS GALLERIES AND INDEPENDENT SPACES ACROSS THE COUNTRY. SELECTED EXHIBITIONS: I SEE AN OBJECT LIKE A STAR WITH A BURR ALL AROUND, ANNA CAPOLUPO/ LUCIA VERONESI FOR LA TANA DELLE TIGRI, PIRAMIDE DELLE CASCINE, FLORENCE; PAINTING, PAINTING, PAINTING PROJECT ROOM MARIGNANA ARTE CURATED BY SERENA FINESCHI; SALON PALERMO CRITICAL TEXT BY ANTONIO GRULLI AT RIZZUTO GALLERY, PALERMO; FRAGILE CURATED BY CHRISTIAN CALIANDRO AT MONITOR GALLERY ROME; UN GIORNO IN CASA, AT THE SMART ROMA FOUNDATION, CURATED BY DAVIDE FERRI AND SAVERIO VERINI, ROME; POLKA PUTTANA TRAVELING EXHIBITION IN VAN; LUCKY CHARM, AT TOAST PROJECT SPACE, MANIFATTURA TABACCHI, (FI).
LUIGI PRESICCE
BORN IN PORTO CESAREO (LECCE) IN 1976, HE LIVES AND WORKS IN FLORENCE. HE ATTENDED THE ACADEMY OF FINE ARTS IN LECCE, DELIBERATELY CHOOSING NOT TO DISCUSS HIS THESIS. HIS WORK WAS DEFINITELY INFLUENCED BY HIS INDEPENDENT STUDIES. IN 2007 HE PARTICIPATED IN THE HIGHER COURSE IN VISUAL ARTS (CSAV) AT THE ANTONIO RATTI FOUNDATION IN COMO WITH THE AMERICAN ARTIST JOAN JONAS. IN 2008, AS PART OF ARTIST IN RESIDENCE, HE PARTICIPATED IN THE WORKSHOP IN VIAFARINI IN MILAN WITH THE AMERICAN ARTIST KIM JONES. IN MILAN, IN 2008 HE FOUNDED (WITH LUCA FRANCESCONI AND VALENTINA SUMA) BROWNMAGAZINE AND LATER BROWN PROJECT SPACE, FOR WHICH HE OVERSAW THE PROGRAMMING. IN 2011 WITH GIUSY CHECOLA AND SALVATORE BALDI HE FOUNDED “ARCHIVIAZIONI” IN LECCE (EXERCISES OF INVESTIGATION AND DISCUSSION ON THE CONTEMPORARY SOUTH). IN 2012 HE TOOK PART IN ARTISTS IN RESIDENCE AT MACRO, ROME, EXTENDING HIS INVITATION TO NINE OTHER ARTISTS (LABORATORIO). SINCE 2010, WITH LUIGI NEGRO, EMILIO FANTIN, GIANCARLO NORESE AND CESARE PIETROIUSTI HE HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN THE LU CAFAUSU PROJECT WHICH PROMOTES THE FEAST OF THE LIVING (WHO REFLECT ON DEATH) AND WITH WHICH HE WAS INVITED BY AND AND AND TO DOCUMENTA13, KASSEL. SINCE 2016 HE HAS BEEN A FOUNDING MEMBER OF THE LAC O LE MON FOUNDATION, SAN CESARIO DI LECCE. WITH FRANCESCO LAURETTA SINCE 2017, EVERY TUESDAY HE HAS ORGANIZED THE SCUOLA DI SANTA ROSA, A FREE DRAWING SCHOOL BASED IN FLORENCE AND NEW YORK. HE WAS SELECTED FOR THE 2018 STUDIO PROGRAM AT ARTISTS ALLIANC INC, NEW YORK AND TAD RESIDENCY AT MONASTERO DEL CARMINE, BERGAMO AND LACASAPARK, GARDINER, NY IN 2019. HE CONCEIVED AND CURATED IN 2018 AND 2019, PAINTING SYMPOSIUM, AT THE LAC FOUNDATION OR LE MON, A RESIDENCY/PLATFORM CENTERED ON ITALIAN PAINTING OF THE LAST 30 YEARS. HE CURATED EXTEMPORANEA-PLAY IN 2018, AT TREBISONDA SPAZIO PER L’ARTE CONTEMPORANEA, PERUGIA AND UNIQUE FORMS IN THE CONTINUITY OF SPACE, AT RIZZUTO GALLERY, PALERMO, IN 2019 FACCIATOSTA RECORDS, BY ENNE BOI AT TOAST PROJECT SPACE, FLORENCE. IN 2020 WITH MATTEO COLUCCIA HE CREATED POLKA PUTTANA, A TRAVELING EXHIBITION IN A VAN THAT IS RENEWED FROM PLACE TO PLACE. HE CONCLUDED IN 2021 WITH A LARGE EXHIBITION AT THE MATTATOIO IN ROME A PERFORMATIVE CYCLE THAT STARTED IN 2012 WITH THE THEME THE STORIES OF THE TRUE CROSS. HE IS CURRENTLY INVOLVED IN A TRAVELING TRAINING PROJECT FOR YOUNG ARTISTS AND OTHERS, CALLED THE ACADEMY OF IMMOBILITY. HE HAS PERFORMED AT THE CLAUDIO BUZIOL FOUNDATION, VENICE (2010), THESSALONIKI PERFORMANCE FESTIVAL, BIENNALE 3, GREECE (2011), REIMS FESTIVAL SCÈNES D’EUROPE, FRAC CHAMPAGNE-ARDENNE, FRANCE (2011), MÀNTICA FESTIVAL, CESENA (2011) , CORPUS, MADRE, NAPLES (2012), WE FOLK – DRODESERA FESTIVAL, CENTRALE FIES, DRO (2012), ART CITY BOLOGNA 2013, BOLOGNA (2013), CASTELLOINMOVIMENTO, CASTELLO DI FOSDINOVO, MASSA CARRARA (2013), ARTDATE 2014, BERGAMO (2014), THE THEATER OF PLACES FEST, LECCE (2014), KUNSTHALLE OSNABRUCK, GERMANY (2015), MAMBO BOLOGNA (2015), MUSEO MARINO MARINI, FLORENCE (2015), TENUTA DELLO SCOMPIGLIO, VORNO-CAPANNORI, LUCCA (2016) , LE MURATE, FLORENCE (2016), PALAZZO TREVISAN DEGLI ULIVI, SWISS CULTURAL INSTITUTE, VENICE (2017), FONDAZIONE LAC O LE MON, SAN CESARIO DI LECCE (2017, 2018), MAP MUSEO DE ARTE POPULAR, CIUDAD DE MEXICO ( 2018), MUSEO DI PALAZZO PRETORIO, PRATO (2018), CUCHIFRITOS GALLERY, NEW YORK CITY (2019), PELANDA, MATTATOIO, ROME (2019), METODO MILANO, MILAN (2019), TORRE DELL’AGLIO, VIESTE (2020). HE WON THE EPSON ART PRIZE, FONDAZIONE ANTONIO RATTI, COMO (2007), PREMIO EMERGENTI TALENTI, CCC STROZZINA, PALAZZO STROZZI, FLORENCE (2011), LONG PLAY, MAGA, GALLARATE (2012), ICONA, ARTVERONA, VERONA (2014) , LEVEL 0, ARTVERONA, VERONA (2015), OPERA VIVA BARRIERA DI MILANO, TURIN (2020). HE WAS A FINALIST IN THE MOROSO PRIZE, SECOND AND SIXTH EDITION WITH SPECIAL MENTION (2011, 2017), IN THE MARETTI PRIZE, SECOND EDITION WITH SPECIAL MENTION, HAVANA (2014), IN THE VAF FOUNDATION PRIZE, SEVENTH EDITION, GERMANY (2016) AND AT THE ANNA MORETTINI AWARD, FIRST EDITION, PARIS (2017).
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ea – the voice of light
FLORENCE , 2022
.EA TUT BA IS THE SOUL NAME CHOSEN BY BARBARA FONTANI FOR HER SPIRITUAL RESEARCH, A PATH IN CONNECTION WITH TREES AND LIGHT AS OUR GUIDES. WITH THIS EXHIBITION, CURATED BY VALENTINA GUIDI OTTOBRI, WE REVEAL 23 OF THE IMAGES COLLECTED BETWEEN 2015 AND 2022 THAT PORTRAY THE SKY AND ITS AURAS, A TERM THAT INDICATES A PARTICULAR LUMINOUS ATMOSPHERE WHOSE GEOMETRIC AND MATHEMATICAL PROPERTIES AND FREQUENT RE-PROPOSAL HAVE SPARKED FOR CENTURIES THE IDEA OF THE EXISTENCE OF A RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MACROCOSM AND MICROCOSM, REPETITIONS OF THE STELLAR UNIVERSE IN NATURE. THE ROUTE TAKES SHAPE UNDER THE TREES OF THE CORSI GARDEN, CREATED IN THE EARLY 1800S BASED ON A PROJECT BY THE ARCHITECT. GIUSEPPE MANETTI, CONSIDERED THE FIRST EXAMPLE OF AN ENGLISH ROMANTIC GARDEN IN FLORENCE. IT IS AMONG ITS GREEN “ROOMS” THAT ONE LOSES THE IMPRESSION OF BEING IN THE CITY, THUS ISOLATING ONESELF IN AN IDEALIZED NATURAL ENVIRONMENT THAT OFFERS US THE OPPORTUNITY TO RETURN TO CONNECTION WITH OURSELVES AND THE SURROUNDING ENVIRONMENT. “IN LIFE ALL THINGS ARE SIGNALS. THE UNIVERSE IS MADE UP OF A LANGUAGE THAT EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS, BUT WHICH HAS NOW BEEN FORGOTTEN.” THE ALCHEMIST, PAULO COELHO
THERE WAS A TIME WHEN MAN LOOKED AT THE SKY RECOGNIZING IN ITS SIGNS REAL INDICATIONS TO FOLLOW. JUST THINK OF THE STARS, LUMINOUS ESSENCES THAT WE HAVE NAMED AND CATALOGED. IF CONNECTED TOGETHER THEY FORM CONSTELLATIONS, DEPICTIONS OF ANIMALS AND MYTHOLOGICAL DEITIES THAT WE HAVE DESCRIBED AND DRAWN IN THE SKY. A PATH MARKED BY MAN FOR 16,000 YEARS, A TOPIC OF STUDY ALREADY IN THE SUMERIAN ERA, REAL STAR MAPS TO ORIENT OURSELVES IN THE WORLD AND TO DEFINE OUR SPACE-TIME. THE SUN, MOTHER STAR OF OUR PLANETARY SYSTEM, INEXHAUSTIBLE SOURCE OF LIGHT CELEBRATED IN EVERY CIVILIZATION SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE HUMAN RACE. THE CIRCLE, THE OLDEST AND CLEAREST SOLAR SYMBOL, DATES BACK TO PREHISTORY. FOR LIVING BEINGS, THE SUN IS THE ESSENTIAL LIGHT THAT GIVES HEAT AND ENERGY, NOURISHES THE EARTH AND ALLOWS LIFE. DURING THE DAY THE LIGHT WE SEE IS PROPORTIONAL TO THE ELECTROMAGNETIC SPECTRUM VISIBLE TO THE HUMAN EYE. THE VISIBLE SPECTRUM DOES NOT CONTAIN, AS ONE MIGHT THINK, ALL THE COLORS THAT THE EYE AND THE BRAIN CAN DISTINGUISH: BROWN, PINK, MAGENTA, FOR EXAMPLE, ARE ABSENT, AS THEY ARE OBTAINED FROM THE SUPERPOSITION OF DIFFERENT WAVELENGTHS. VISIBLE WAVELENGTHS OCCUPY THE SO-CALLED “OPTICAL WINDOW”. THROUGH MEDITATION AND CONNECTION WITH NATURE, THE UNIVERSE REVEALS AN INFINITE SPECTRUM OF POSSIBILITIES TO US. THIS STATE OF AWARENESS SLOWLY AWAKENS THE INNER PERCEPTIVE FACULTIES, RAISING OUR MENTAL FREQUENCIES. LET US “FILL” OURSELVES WITH LIGHT AND HEAT, FOLLOW THE SIGNALS OF THE SURROUNDING WORLD AND IMAGINE OUR BODY AS A “CLEAR CRYSTAL” THAT VIBRATES AND RESONATES HARMONIOUSLY. THE LIGHT AND HEAT OF THE SUN WILL HEAL OUR BEING IN LOVE AND IN RESONANCE WITH EVERYTHING
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saint tropez
saint tropez , 2021
a temporary summer exhibition in saint tropez discussing the theme of spirituality & DESIGN in a dialogue with lise braun gallery. grafic design project by niva design.“I WANTED TO GIVE THE WORLD SOMETHING NEW BY TAKING UP THE VALUE OF THE MILLENARY TRADITIONS THAT HAVE GUIDED MAN UP TO HERE. I’M TIRED OF ALWAYS SEEING THE SAME VASE OR THE SAME TABLE IN DIFFERENT VARIATIONS. I WANTED TO INVENT NEW PRODUCT CATEGORIES THAT DO NOT YET EXIST BUT THAT WILL ALLOW US TO DEEPLY UNDERSTAND THE COMPLEXITY OF OUR “LIVING”. I ASK MYSELF: “WHY IN 2022 WE ALL HAVE A STORAGE ROOM AND NO ONE HAS A ROOM WHERE YOU CAN MEDITATE OR STORE YOUR DREAMS? WHAT VALUE DO THE OBJECTS WE SURROUND OURSELVES WITH? HOW CAN I INTERACT WITH THESE OBJECTS IN ORDER TO GO BEYOND THEIR BASIC FUNCTION? ” IT IS FROM THESE QUESTIONS THAT THE MOST REPRESENTATIVE WORKS OF THE GALLERY ARISE, SUCH AS SALVATORE, DESIGNED BY MATTEO CIBIC AND CREATED WITH SCAPIN, WHICH IS A CABINET WHERE YOU CAN JEALOUSLY GUARD YOUR SECRETS; SMOKE COMES OUT OF ITS HORNS WHEN WE PUT INCENSE ON IT .. A TOTEM. SO TOO ARE THE SCULPTURE BINS THAT REMIND US OF THE VALUE OF WHAT WE THROW AWAY, MADE WITH THE COLI BROTHERS IN PUGLIA. WE ARE CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF LAUNCHING A SONORA LAMP, A RECORDER TO RECORD ONE’S DREAMS TO KEEP NEAR THE BED AND MANY OTHER TALISMAN OBJECTS TO EXPERIENCE OUR HOME AS A THEATER FULL OF EMOTIONS AND MAGIC.” VGO
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polka puttana
grasse, 2020
curated by luigi presicce and anna capolupo. ART LOGISTICS ARE AN EXCELLENT EXCUSE TO TRAVEL, GIVING SOME FUN TO OUR WILD SOULS. DURING A STUDIO RELOCATION IN 2020, LUIGI EXPRESSED THE WISH FOR A TRAVELLING EXHIBITION. SOME MONTHS LATER, WE GOT A VAN FOR CHRISTMAS (EXCERPT FROM THE INTERVIEW). SO STARTS THE JOURNEY. GET TO KNOW THE HISTORY OF POLKA PUTTANA, A COLLECTIVE OF WANDERER ITALIANS WHO EXHIBIT ART OUTDOOR AND WHO ALREADY KNOW WHERE THEY WANT TO PARK THE “TRUCK” WHEN IN GRASSE.
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