In Europe, the myth of the Vittoria Alata circulated since the Renaissance. Nobody, however, had any idea of its whereabouts. It was quite a surprise when, on July 20, 1826, an imposing bronze statue was unearthed underneath the Capitolium of Brescia, exhibiting the legendary traits of the Goddess. Brought to light by a group of patriots against the will of Austrians oppressors, the icon of victory was immediately associated with the ardour of the coming Risorgimento. Napoleon III wished to admire it in person, the poet Carducci dedicated an ode to it, D’Annunzio fell in love with it, while casts and copies spread across every continent and scholars sought to understand the work’s enigmatic past. Almost 200 years after its discovery, the Vittoria Alata returns to the spotlight - a restoration has brought back its ancient splendour and the new, scenographic display by Spanish architect Juan Navarro Baldeweg sees it returned to the location where it was found, the Cidneo Hill. The event marks the rebirth of Brescia’s rich archeological heritage with its roots in Imperial Rome. The past meets the contemporary in the numerous events planned for the occasion - at the centre of it all is the Park of ancient Brixia which, spread over six hectares, represents the larges archeological site of Northern Italy.
Picasso did not consider the art that inspired him, which moved his creative mind in an unstoppable desire to open new paths, as "primitive", he did not see a "before" and an "after" in art, there was no "other", "different" art: Picasso conceived it as a timeless Whole.
In her practice, Sang A Han explores oriental painting in its contemporary adaptation. Soft sculptures and layered paintings made with Meok (China ink), cotton fabric and stitching are the result of an intimate revisitation of tradition through a creation process that the artist herself defines performative.
Adrian Piper. Adrian Piper and racism in contemporary visual culture traitor
The first European retrospective in over twenty years dedicated to Adrian Piper, conceptual artist, minimalist and performer in the New York art scene of the late Sixties.
The retrospective of Nari Ward presents, for the first time, a combination of works that interweaves his exploration of performativity and collaborative projects: over thirty years of practice, presenting early seminal and historical works as well as new productions.