9 – 12 June 2016
Porto dell’Arte
via del Porto 34, Bologna
http://portodellarte.wix.com/home
The exhibition title “Metamorphoses” is in a double sense coherent: it is the name of the presented artwork by Paolo Bufalini, but is as well valuable for the exhibition space.
“Metamorphoses”, as installation, consists of two white spheres facing each other. The smaller one, placed on the floor is made of marble. It embodies weight and density and its position on the ground refers to gravity. In around four meters distance is a white balloon suspended, just under the ceiling. It stands for opposite qualities like lightness and weightlessness. The visitor might, pacing off the space in between the two spheres, perceive a transformation of the material, the metamorphosis.
Nevertheless, even the seemingly hovering balloon underlies the earthy gravity. In consequence, it is trapped between the walls. So stuck, it might remind one of René Magritte’s painting of the green apple, that fills a whole room (La Chambre d’écoute/ The Listening Room, 1958, Kunsthaus Zürich). There is no way to escape. In contrast the marble globe occurs free to move wherever it wants. The visitor who makes her/his way back from the big balloon to the small ball, in direction to the exit might perceive this liberty as well.
Paolo Bufalini, student of the Accademia di Belle Arti di Bologna www.ababo.it, was invited by Irene Angenica and Davide Da Pieve to inaugurate their new exhibition project “Porto dell’Arte” (Harbour of Art). The two art historians decided to dedicate their private apartment to promote young, emergent artists. Every second weekend of the month, they will be open to the public, from Thursday to Sunday (6 p.m. – 10 p.m., reservation requested) to present another artist, restarting in September after the summer break. The exhibited works will be somehow site-specific, to communicate with the proposed living area, which is obviously not a white cube. So once a month, the apartment will experience a metamorphosis from private to public space.
Moreover, the metamorphosis might refer as well to the history of the neighbourhood, where the house is situated. Once, in the quarter of the Bolognese harbour (quartiere del Porto), were many handcraft workshops located, including a tobacco factory. In our days it is called as well “Manifattura Delle Arti” (Manufactory of Arts), due to the many galleries and exhibition spaces, as well as the MAMbo the Bologna Museum of modern, contemporary and experimental art.