Italian artist Fabio Viale moves in a topsy-turvy world: his classical statues are covered in modern tattoos that make them look modern and vulgarly kitsch; marble artworks are reproduced in light and perishable styrofoam, while ephemeral things such as a paper plane, a kid's soccer ball or pliable car tires are turned into eternal sculptures made of the finest marble. Viale's latest work will be exhibited from next week (8th August) at Galleria Poggiali in Pietrasanta, Italy (located in Via Garibaldi 8).
The work is entitled "Stargate" and, when you look at it without really focusing on its structure, the monumental marble structure will make you think about the futuristic architectures you may find on a spaceship. It is only when you actually stop, look and think, that you realise you're staring at two recombined stacklable plastic boxes of the type used to carry fruit and vegetable.
"Stargate" may indeed be around 2 metre tall and look rather complex and monumentally eternal, yet it is based on a very banal and cheap, though intriguing, industrial design. Viale subverted the value of the object by recreating it in white Carrara marble and altering its original volume.
The title of the artwork "Stargate" hints at a sci-fi portal to access new and mysterious universes: as a child we may have played with a cardboard box, pretending it was a race car or a spaceship, but visitors will be able to enter Viale's work, close their eyes and imagine of being transported in a galaxy far away, or simply study the complex architectural patterns of the object they are "travelling in", remembering that, quite often, looking at everyday humble items from a different perspective can be even more inspiring than looking at overpriced modern artworks. Developed in one year, "Stargate" will be on display at Galleria Poggiali until 25th August.
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