Ritorno al Mondo Nuovo
27 - 29 Nov 2024
On November 27, on the occasion of the Salone dei Pagamenti, ReA! Arte and Caleidos inaugurate RIITORNO AL MONDO NUOVO, curated by Dora Casadio and Livia Ruberti, a collective exhibition featuring works by Nicola Bindoni, Linh Bubbio, Lilia Li-Mi-Yan, Katherina Sadovsky, Luisa Eugeni, and Marco Vignati.
"For now, some freedom still remains in the world. Many young people, it is true, seem not to value it. But some of us believe that without freedom, human beings will never be fully human, and that therefore freedom is a supreme value. It may be that the forces opposed to freedom are too powerful, and that resistance cannot last long. But it is still our duty to do everything we can to resist."
Ritorno al Mondo Nuovo, Aldous Huxley
In 1932, Aldous Huxley published Brave New World, a dystopia in which a scientifically perfected society suppresses emotions and individuality to maintain absolute order. Years later, in the essay Return to Brave New World in 1959, he reflected on how many of his predictions were coming true, in an era of rapid social and technological change. Today, in the context of environmental crises, the threat of war, and rising authoritarianism, society seems to be reliving these fears, oscillating between the fear of chaos and that of excessive control, rediscovering the importance of freedom and redemption.
The artists featured in the exhibition represent the cry for freedom, the glimmer of light, the affirmation of individual autonomy and independent thought, all through artistic and creative production. With different practices ranging from painting to sculpture, from installation to video works and photography, they explore significant themes, both common and generative of reflections—sometimes bitter, but always sincere, deep, clear, and objective.
Participating Artists
Nicola Bindoni explores fragility through painting, depicting intimate figures immersed in a suspended time and space, where light and shadows accentuate their physical and psychological state without ever revealing their identity. The gazes, often hidden or absent, encourage the viewer to project personal memories and feelings, establishing an authentic connection with the artwork, which reflects a universal cycle of vulnerability, pain, acceptance, and care.
Linh Bubbio, born in Vietnam and adopted by an Italian family, explores the theme of origin and the synergies between different cultural traditions in her works. The series A Giraffe in the Alps, from which the three works on display titled I Sentieri dello Sbaron are taken, pays tribute to the artist’s mother, who moved to Turin after childhood in Africa. The works tell a story of radical transformation, between abstraction and disorientation, leading to the gradual recognition of oneself in a new world.
Luisa Eugeni, through multimedia practices, explores philosophical themes such as belonging and identity, intertwining figures and land, nature and culture. At the core of her work is the interconnection between living beings and the environment, as seen in the piece Das Labyrinth, where weaving becomes a means to revitalize craftsmanship and cultural memories. Using a loom built by her father, maternal knowledge in knitting, and fine threads from high-fashion suppliers in Florence, the artist weaves materials such as bouclé silk, linen, lurex, and cotton. In the fabrics, the landscape also emerges, evoked with painterly accents that recall the territory.
Lilia Li-Mi-Yan and Katherina Sadovsky form an artistic duo that spans across site-specific works, multimedia installations, and advanced technologies such as AI, CGI, and 3D. They explore the future of humanity and its relationship with nature, technology, and new forms of life, questioning posthuman scenarios: what would happen if we developed bodies capable of interacting with innovative materials and bacteria? How would emotions and identity change in a cyborg era? Their videos on display present 'humans of the future' in symbiosis with enigmatic bionic masses.
Marco Vignati explores the photographic medium by going beyond its two-dimensionality, transforming it into sculptural works that enhance the materiality of the films and prints. Through a slow emulsification process, his creations, resembling wounds, tears, or portals, reflect the relentless passage of time and a feeling that oscillates between acceptance, nostalgia, and helplessness. The two sculptures on the ground, created specifically for the exhibition Party in Pieces organized by ReA! Arte in collaboration with the Rachele Bianchi Archive, interact with the displayed works, weaving together photography and sculpture into a unique experience.
Exhibition Partners
