On the occasion of the 35th edition of Bergamo Film Meeting, inaugurated the second retrospective of ENCOUNTERS: CINEMA AND CONTEMPORARY ART, two events dedicated to the relationship between art and film, organized thanks to the collaboration between The Blank and Bergamo Film Meeting.
The leading figure is Franco Vaccari (Modena, 1936), one of the most significant and important interpreters of the languages of contemporary art. During his career Franco Vaccari has pursued with great consistency, a work that is now extraordinarily relevant and inspiring for new generations, who recognize the value of his contribution and influence of his research.
The artist paied homage to the city of Bergamo with the unreleased video environmental installation Esposizione in tempo reale N.45 at the Sala alla Porta Sant’Agostino and placing outside Il Mendicante Elettronico.
On Saturday, 11 March, at the Cinema San Marco, over forty years of research were examined through the projection of a selection of videos.
ESPOSIZIONE IN TEMPO REALE N.45
In Esposizione in tempo reale N.45 the video Buona Notte, showing a hearth with a fire, as it is consumed and crackles, is overlaid on the image of Alessandro Magnasco’s painting Lo scaldatoio di una frateria, dated 1725/1730. The projection of the fire enters into the pictorial composition, breathing life into it.
For Esposizione in tempo reale N.45, continuing research based on involvement and sharing, Vaccari invited several Bergamo artists to create beds in front of the projection, shelters in which to rest and dream, developed according to the artists’ respective languages and poetics.
The artists made ten new sculptures/beds, specifically designed to dialogue with the video Buona Notte. These dream-like installations will fit into the setting of Porta Sant’Agostino, built between 1561 and 1575, and the historic road leading to Bergamo’s Upper City.
The artists involved in creating the beds are Davide Allieri, Cinzia Benigni, Filippo Berta, DZT collective, Oscar Giaconia, Daniele Maffeis, Andrea Mastrovito, Giovanni Oberti, Francesco Pedrini, Maria Francesca Tassi.
Outside Porta Sant’Agostino there is Il Mendicante Elettronico, a video installation from 1973. On a cathode ray tube the words “Der blinde kommtgleich” (the blind man will be right back) appears on the screen, overlaying the image of a hamster in a hat. With the operation of replacing the flesh-and-blood beggar with a television set, Vaccari disorients the spectator and highlights the power of the media and the artistic gesture.
SELECTED VIDEOS
1966–67, Nei Sotterranei, 8 mm transferred to 16 mm and digital format, b/w, 6’56’’
1971, Cani lenti, 8 mm transferred to 16mm and digital format, b/w and colour, soundtrack by Pink Floyd, 8’38’’
2000, La via Emilia è un aeroporto, VHS, colour, soundtrack, 14’30’’
2003, Provvista di ricordi per il tempo dell’Alzheimer, video from photographic material, 21’57’’
The collaboration with Franco Vaccari has been possible thanks to the fundamental support of Galleria P420 in Bologna.