Earlier this week, the Italian Cultural Institute opened a new art exhibit, “Drawing the City: The Albertina Academy and Turin between Eclecticism and Liberty,” which featured works from the ’s students inspired by the Italian Liberty architectural movement (the country’s iteration of its trans-alpine neighbor’s Art Nouveau), and the works of architect and sculptor Giulio Casanova in particular, a pillar of the movement and native son of Turin. His works are woven the history of Italy’s old industrial center across various buildings like the shrine for the Holy Shroud in Turin’s duomo, and the famous ornate façade of the Caffè Baratti & Milano. Casanova was also a professor at the Albertina Academy for decades.
“We sought to narrate the process of the city’s transformation through decorative projects that are usually inaccessible to the public,” explains Fabio Finotti, director of the Italian Cultural Institute. The art installation includes paintings accompanied by projected images between the canvases, as well as soundscapes for aural stimuli that make for a fully immersive experience. “There are empty spaces left between the works on the walls, which are filled with projected backdrops during the show. They’re views that I imagined as cityscapes in which my collleagues’ works exist,” says Riccardo Sirci, a fine arts student at the academy who contributed to the exhibit.
Sofia Maravacchio, a final-year fine arts student at the Academy, challenged herself with different mediums for the sake of the instrallation: “Trying out a new style was wonderful for me. Usually, I work with collage techniques, so using oil paint this time was a process of discovery for me. I’m very proud of the work we created, even though it took me out of my comfort zone.”
For the students and staff of Albertini, the exhibit is a major milestone and validation of their work. “It’s a beautiful moment, we are truly moved,” said Academy president Paola Gribaudo. Academy director Salvo Bitoni is sees a culmination in taking the their work across borders, saying that they “always had an international scope in mind, and this installation is proof of that.”
The Albertina Academy exhibit will be on display at the Italian Cultural until October 31st.
