First there was God’s image, and then there was the scattering of His divinity into all creatures. In an era in which God has turned his back on us, people must now become things, in a world of things. One glance at the works featured at ARTISSIMA makes clear that Turin has inherited the ARTE POVERA tradition. Minimalistic, with a heavy emphasis on material qua material, these works reveal ARTISSIMA’s quest for that tiny sliver of light which pierces the narrow divide between the Work of the primitive world and the creations of man-made civilization. This pursuit of contact with—or epiphany by—material purity is perhaps a re-incarnation of the sort of zeal we once expressed through religious art, and evolves into varying expressions out of varied national and regional contexts. Featured galleries and venues make the art fair layout easy to spot. In the center, near the entrance, are Back to the Future and Present Future. Together, the two spaces cover about a third of the entire fair, with works from the masters of the past and new emerging artists setting one another into relief: allowing audiences the chance to experience the depth and breadth of relationships between these art works from more than just a commercial perspective.
Kong Chun Hei, “Vent”, HD video, stainless steel, no sound, 56.3 x 34.3x 8.7 cm, 30 mins, 2014
Kong Chun Hei, “Flicker”, 4 channel video, DV PAL, no sound
30 mins, edition of 4 + 1AP, 2014
Kong Chun Hei, “Corner Protector III”, ink on water colour paper mounted on stainless steel, 5 x 5 x 120 cm, 2014
Kong Chun Hei, “Reflector”, stainless steel sheet, 90 x 60 cm, 2014
