Mirko Smerdel's interest is about public memory and disappearance: not only to represent but also to work through a discursive terrain, an alternative knowledge and counter-memory, an archeology and a mental geography of contemporary life. story-telling: to create connection between past and future, new private mythologies, micro-histories and their relations with political or social power.
June 23 > July 28, 2012
Vernissage on Saturday June 23 at 6.00 p.m.
San Marco 1997 Campo San Fantin - Venezia
Opening Times: Tuesday / Saturday 2 – 8 p.m.; Monday and Sunday only by appointment
T & F +39 041 522 1938
The conceptual montage of Mirko Smerdel’s work (Florence, 1978) is the result of an accurate research on the meaning of architectural symbolism, in which it is possible to trace an archeological approach of though and research towards image. Drawing his inspiration from some graffiti on the walls of the construction site in the Isolaneighborhood (Milan), the artist conceives a visual narrative which shows all the locations that witness aggressive urban transformations and political fights. Therefore, “Your skyscrapers are rubble even before being built” refer to images of in-progress construction projects as well as to vintage photographs of the Isola neighborhood and also to the famous American skyscrapers, which were being built in the same years of the constitution of the Commune in Paris, which has Place Vendôme as its main symbol. Through idea association, Smerdel gives context to a foreseeable architecture in the Isola neighborhood, highlighting the process of identity expropriation which constitutes it.
Aria Spinelli
Biography
Born in Prato (Italy) in 1978, he obtained a Master Bachelor in “visual arts and curatorial studies”, at "NABA – Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti in Milano in 2009.
In 2010 he's been shortlisted for Sovereign Art Prize, London.
Lives and work in Milan.
In 2009 had his first personal exhibition "Myth Making landscapes", curated by Aria Spinelli and Paolo Caffoni at CHAN Gallery in Genoa.
Main group exhibition
2012: "Sotto la strada, la spiaggia", curated by Andrey Parshikov, Benoit Antille and Michele Fiedler, Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo, Torino; "Atemporal", critic text by Andrea Bruciati, Jarach Gallery, Venezia.
2011: “Milano, un minuto prima - nuove visioni di una città” curated by Matteo Balduzzi, Fondazione Forma per la Fotografia, Milano; "PLAY IT - four performances" curated by Daniele Perra, Tennis club Parioli, Roma; “La giovine Italia…” curated by Gigliola Foschi, Festival Fotografia Europea, Reggio Emilia.
2010: "Police the Police", IV Young Artist's Biennial, curated by Micha Gerghescu and Jason Waite, Bucharest, Romania; "Niente da vedere, tutto da vivere", curated by Lorenzo Bruni, parallel project for XIV Biennale di Scultura, Carrara; "Practicing Memory In ATime Of An All Encompassing Present", curated by Matteo Lucchetti, Città dell'Arte - Fondazione Pistoletto, Biella; "The Documentary", curated by Marco Scotini, Prometeo Gallery, Milan; Carte Blanche / The Historical Archive: four interpretations, curated by Francesca Pagliuca, Unicredit / SpazioMilano, Milan; Horror Vacui / Occupare il presente, curated by Aria Spinelli and Valerio Del Baglivo, Isola Art Center, Milan;
2009: "Territoria #4//Simbiosi" curated by Bert Theis in Prato; "Splav Meduze" curated by Marko Stamenkovic in Celje, Slovenia; "Nothing But a Show" curated by Alessio Ascari at Castello Sforzesco, Museo d'arte antica / Museo delle Arti Decorative, Milan;
2008: "Backpackers" curated by Bert Theis and Marco Scotini at Borgovico 33 in Como.
Main Publications
2010, Police the Police, Catalogue of the IV Young Artist's Biennial in Bucharest; Carte Blanche#1, catalogue of the exhibition; 2009: "Territoria #4 - the Great Leap", catalogue of the exhibition; "Nothing But a Show", catalogue of the exhibition in Castello Sforzesco, Milano; "Myth Making landscapes", free book.
www.jarachgallery.com
www.jarachgallery.com/mirko-smerdel
www.privatemythologies.com
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