The Light Art Mantua Biennale reopens: the dialogue, intense and at the same time discreet, resumes between the luminous works of the artists and the spaces of the Casa del Mantegna

Casa del Mantegna, Mantova, (Italy), until April 9, 2021

After the temporary closure imposed by the Covid emergency, the Mantua Biennale Light Art reopens with the theme In praise of light between deconstruction and reconstruction of spaces. Housed in the Casa del Mantegna, it offers a real challenge to Italian and international artists specialized in light art: the dialogue/comparison with the prestigious home of Andrea Mantegna, one of the most significant painters and architects of the Italian fifteenth-sixteenth century.

The Biennale Virtual Tour is always available online for those who want to enjoy the visit from the comfort of their home. The project was created by the curator Vittorio Erlindo together with his collaborators and the 34 artists involved who, through interviews and images, tell and describe the works on display.

Created with the support of Eni, the event consists of two sections: Light Art, which collects the works of 21 artists and is curated by Erlindo himself, and Black Light: 13 artists curated by Gisella Gellini and Gaetano Corica.

The Biennale wants to create an intense and at the same time discreet and respectful dialogue between the luminous works of the artists and the internal and external spaces of the Casa del Mantegna, as well as the nearby temple of San Sebastiano by Leon Battista Alberti: architectures that offer a unified vision of Gonzaga's planning, urban and artistic strategy. Built in the southern area of Mantua, in an area adjacent to the island of Te, they are located almost on the edge of the urban fabric of the city.

The Biennale Light Art 2020 in Mantua, in addition to giving space to the different artistic sensitivities of the contemporary scene and paying homage to various historical exponents, offers a broad and articulated cross-section dedicated to the lighting systems, techniques and poetics used to create the various works.

Art and science have always attended and confronted each other with their respective techniques, through creativity, imagination, visionary” explain Vittorio Erlindo. “In the Mantua Biennale, the connection is evident from their link with the different luminous materials used by the artists who bring out a harmonious understanding capable of opening up new perspectives not only for art but also for science”.

After the large spaces and large installations of the Doge's Palace of the 2018 edition, the Biennale is confronted with more measured environments, designed by Andrea Mantegna for his family and for his own artistic laboratory. The luminous works and the Wood Lights completely replace the natural and artificial light of the dwelling, restoring new spatiality and emotions.

The artists exhibiting at the Light Art Mantua Biennale are: Mario Agrifoglio, Nino Alfieri, Peter Assmann, Carlo Bernardini, Nicola Boccini, Leonilde Carabba, Davide Coltro, Guglielmo Paolo Conti, Giuliana Cuneaz, Davide Dall’Osso, Giulio De Mitri, Mario De Leo, Nicola Evangelisti, Elia Festa, Maria Cristiana Fioretti, Giovanna Fra, Silvia Guberti, Massimo Hachen, Margareta Hesse, Oky Izumi, Marco Lodola, Fardy Maes, Federica Marangoni, Vincenzo Marsiglia, Max Marra, Yari Miele, Mary Mutt, Pietro Pirelli, Francesca Romano, Sebastiano Romano, Giuseppe Rosini, Donatella Schilirò, Paolo Scirpa and Claudio Sek De Luca.

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