In September 2023, Artificial Botany .erbario assoluto premiered in its immersive installation setup in Fondazione San Carlo in Modena (IT), as part of Smart Life Festival. Located in the magnificent Sala dei Cardinali, the historic location was the perfect fit to enhance and complement the botanical figures of the piece.
Founded in 1626, the Foundation, formerly named the “Collegio dei Nobili di San Carlo”, was an institute for the education of young people of the aristocratic class. Located in the heart of the city, the palace still has great artistic and architectural importance: in particular, the Sala dei Cardinali is decorated with Baroque-style frescoes, featuring on the walls portraits of former students of the ancient College who later became cardinals - hence the name. The building also houses an 18th century theatre, a 19th century chapel and a gallery with trompe-l’oeil frescoed walls. The building complex also comprehends the Church of San Carlo, designed by the ducal architect Bartolomeo Avanzini.
The exhibition of Artificial Botany .erbario assoluto was part of the 8th edition of Smart Life Festival, an exposition focusing on innovation, technology and contemporary society. The festival also comprehends series of talks, workshops and performances, attempting to explore these deeply relevant themes from a plurality of perspectives. This edition of the festival focused on the topic of generativity and on its importance on different spheres of human action.
In this context, Artificial Botany .erbario assoluto was exhibited for the first time to the public as an immersive installation. Realised with a double projection on a white 5.4 x 1.6m self-standing panel, the monumental structure envelops the viewer, offering a profound immersion in the plurality of metamorphic forms explored in the piece.
Fondazione San Carlo, 2023
Fondazione San Carlo, 2023
Fondazione San Carlo, 2023