IMAGINA
October 15, 2023–May 1, 2024
IMAGINA, the 27th edition of the Gubbio Biennale; a broad contemporary art exhibition that involves the entire city of Gubbio, Italy. It brings together the works of 36 Italian artists, all belonging to the most recent generations. The artists were asked to interpret the city’s genius loci in a contemporary way, thus constructing a new cultural and symbolic identity inspired by the past to project the languages of the present into the future.
Curated by Spazio Taverna, a curatorial project founded by Marco Bassan and Ludovico Pratesi, IMAGINA unfolds between Palazzo dei Consoli and Palazzo Ducale, both tied to the Medieval and Renaissance history of the city. The exhibition at Palazzo dei Consoli is made of three sections: “Medioevo al femminile” (Feminine middle ages) in the Sala dell’Arengo, showcasing eight gonfalons by artists Giulia Mangoni, Bea Bonafini, Federica Di Pietrantonio, Binta Diaw, Valentina Furian, Ambra Castagnetti, Lucia Cristiani and Sveva Angeletti. Moreover, “La questione delle lingue” (The query of languages), examines the dialogue between the collective Numero Cromatico’s installation and the Eugubine Tables, ancient bronze slates from the 3rd century B.C.D bearing one of the earliest records of the Latin language. Lastly, in the section “Tra Oriente e Occidente” (Between the east and the west) a sculpture by Namsal Siedlecki engages with the palace’s collection of oriental art.
IMAGINA continues at Palazzo Ducale with “La misura umana” (The human measure) in the Salone di Corte, where the sculptures by the eight artists: Lucas Memmola, Antonio Della Guardia, Giulio Bensasson, Davide Sgambaro, Ruth Beraha, Gabriele Silli, Gianluca Brando and Serena Vestrucci, engage and dialogue with the works of Gabriella Siciliano, Lulù Nuti, Marco Emmanuele, Paolo Bufalini, Davide Stucchi, Andrea Mauti and Helena Hladilovà as they are all activated by the Renaissance essence of the palace, once residence of Duke Federico da Montefeltro. Moreover, the seventeenth-century gallery hosts the section “Fotogrammi in quadreria” (Photograms in the picture gallery) with the works of Rachele Maistrello, Sonia Andresano, Anouk Chambaz and Lorenzo Vitturi as they juxtaposed with the baroque paintings of saints. The palace’s underground section hosts “Corporazioni Contemporanee” (Contemporary Corporations), featuring the works by James Hillman, Veronica Bisesti, Francesca Cornacchini, Lucia Cantò, Diego Miguel Mirabella, Guglielmo Maggini, Alice Paltrinieri, who collaborated with local artisans and businesses such as blacksmiths, cobblers, masons, potters, tailors, and carpenters.
As the curators, Marco Bassan and Ludovico Pratesi explain that the guiding principle behind the event was to reactivate Gubbio’s Genius Loci by using the city’s Medieval and Renaissance spirit, involving the local population and craftsmanship and activating the significant cultural experiences that have characterised Gubbio in recent years.
As part of the Biennale Extra program, The exhibition Il Luca di Gubbio, curated by the Santa Cristina theater center and hosted at the Teatro Comunale, illustrates the relationship between the theater director Luca Ronconi (1933–2015) and the city of Gubbio. The Biennale Extra also proposes another show; Tutti i santi giorni; an artistic journey that brings together paintings by artist Cecilia Caporlingua scattered within eight historic spaces across the city.
The exhibition, curated by SPAZIO TAVERNA, is sponsored by the Municipality of Gubbio, with the contribution of the University of Arts and Crafts (University of Blacksmiths, University of Masons—Stonemasons—Related Arts, University of Carpenters, University of Tailors, University of Shoemakers), and with the support of Ceramiche Fumanti, the company Ti Style iT, and Colacem s.p.a
