Mediterranea 17 Young Artists Biennale
Milano 2015
No Food’s Land
October 22nd to October 25th 2015
Fabbrica del Vapore, 4 Procaccini Street, Milano, Italy
Concept
The nourishing process involves an exchange: something is assimilated and consumed to provide energy to something else. A cycle that can be either virtuous or vicious, depending on what you decide or have the opportunity to consume. Even imaginary works this way: it must be fed and cared of, cultivated, cleaned up from what is no longer needed. Through our work as artists, we feed our imaginary and the one of the people; we can have him be moved, have him reflect, consider, feel; we can leave seeds that will sprout out in time, creating the ground on which the future generations will intervene; we can shift points of view, provide stimuli, suggest changes.
For the last several years nutrition has mostly been spoken of in terms of health: we should instead talk about it considering an inner sense as well, with a call to reflect on how we nourish our deepest and invisible parts and how we live at the mercy of our habits, not only practically but also mentally and emotionally. As Shakespeare teaches, “That monster, custom, / who all sense doth eat, /Of habits devil, is angel yet in this, /That to the use of actions fair and good /He likewise gives a frock or livery, / That aptly is put on” (Hamlet, III, IV).
The languages of art are extremely effective in this direction, since they’ve always consisted in exchanges among human beings, often aiming to gather all those who are alive on the inside and feel the need for this exchange. Exactly this need makes us face with questions: what imaginary are we offering to nurture with our work ? What can we give to our audience? What do we wish to remain in them? And what’s the effect that our creative process is having on us? This Biennial is a wonderful opportunity to showcase innovative works, developed towards an overall awareness of their artistic action, understood as a process that develops both before and after the creation of an artpiece or the act of performing; a process that leaves marks on us and in those who share with us the time and space of our activity
Concept by Matteo Lanfranchi
Effetto Larsen Artistic Director and Founder
Title conceived by Moreno Gentili, Giovanni Maderna, Stefano Giovannoni
Image: Matteo Lafranchi via cortoLovere.