Pirelli HangarBicocca, Nari Ward Investigates the Mystery of Time
To give substance to his works, he uses everyday objects, which he repurposes, sometimes in astonishingly unexpected ways – this is how Nari Ward narrates the evolution (and involution) of our society. At the heart of his lyricism lie themes related to identity, racial issues, justice, and consumerism. His poignant works are now landing at Pirelli HangarBicocca for the exhibition “Ground Break”. For the first time, the show features a selection of videos, sound works, performative sculptures, and installations exploring the notion of time. “I would like the audience to experience an emotional and visual space that mixes poetry, imagination, and memory – Nari explains – A space capable of expressing a will to be, to give shape, and to change.” “Ground Break” is an exciting journey that begins with the spectacular installation “Hunger Cradle”, a complex network of intertwined coloured threads hiding found objects (often collected in his Harlem neighbourhood) and unfolds through large-scale installations created between 1996 and 2000 for the choreography Geography Trilogy by Ralph Lemon. This is a first in an exhibition context. Animating the Milanese exhibition, curated by Roberta Tenconi with Lucia Aspesi, is the very concept of performativity through a series of live performances, which will take place as part of the programme until July. The event was inaugurated the other evening in the evocative spaces of HangarBicocca. Many guests were present at the opening: collectors, curators, designers, and artists. Among others, in addition to the star Nari Ward, accompanied by his wife Noemi on this occasion, there were also Alvaro Barrington, Derek Forjour, Maurizio Cattelan, Patrick Tuttofuoco, Dakis Joannou, Vicente Todolì, Nicola Ricciardi, Francesco Manacorda, Innocenzo Cipolletta, Andrea Casaluci, Amy Cosier, Patricia Blanchet, Diva Moriani, Ilenia Durazzi, and Matisse Mesnil.
Text: Germano D’Acquisto
Photos: Ludovica Arcero
