Terra asciutta (Dry Land)
Curated by Chiara Pirozzi and Alessandra Troncone
In collaboration with Associazione VerginiSanità
Opening: Saturday the 26th of September, 11.30 am
From September 27 till November 15, 2020
The third exhibition of Underneath the Arches consists of a site specific intervention by Adrian Melis (Havana, 1985), titled Terra asciutta (Dry Land).
Adrian Melis’ artistic research is based on the analysis of specific socio-economic contexts, starting from Cuba, his homeland, and moving to the European countries where he has worked in recent years. Using themes and dynamics related to work, Melis creates mechanisms that exploit initial scarcities as a possible productive force, in some cases creating real production lines that involve third parties in achieving his objectives.
With his project titled Terra asciutta, created specifically for Underneath the Arches, the artist analyses and reveals the gap between the “active” and necessary function that the Roman Aqueduct had in the past, and the “passive” and conservative role that the same structure has nowadays. Through a strongly symbolic action, Adrian Melis triggers a new process, capable of restoring vitality and functionality to the place, thus transforming the archaeological heritage into a productive rather than just contemplative site. The artist reactivates the original flow of water by recruiting a workforce in the Vergini-Sanità area and through the experimental use of Foley art techniques. The poetic enterprise, which is even vain in its fleetingness, involves the audience in an immersive experience, both on the occasion of the opening, when a performative action will be underway, and during the exhibition, through an environmental installation conceived site-specifically by the artist.
This project is realized with the contribution of Regione Campania, under the Matronage of Fondazione Donnaregina per le arti contemporanee of Naples, and under the patronage of the Academy of Fine Arts in Naples. It is kindly supported by Fondazione Morra and MANN – Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli.
Production assistants: Fortuna Avallone, Giovanni Russo
Exhibition set up and technical support: Guido Marziale
Photodocumentation: Antonio Picascia
With the participation of: Diana Buputu, Antonio De Rosa, Martina Dell’Aversana, Palmino Di Matteo, Mariagiovanna Esposito, Gaetano Ippolito, Musa Keita, Giuseppe Leonardo, Pietro Luongo, Antonella Magliacane.
Thanks to: Mirko Ettore D’Agostino, Mauro Eusepi, Emma Ferulano, Mauro Migliazza, Giuseppe Leggieri, Renato Grieco, Elisabetta Laneve, Enzo Guardasole, Vincenzo Galiero. A heartfelt thanks to Gianfranco D’Amato.
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Artist Biography
Adrian Melis was born in Havana, Cuba, in 1985. He graduated from the University of Art in Havana, Cuba. He is a former resident at the Rijksakademie of Amsterdam (2014/2015). Selected solo shows include: 2768. 23,53. 8. 1958. 57%. 1000, Pori Art Museum (2020), Selective Memory, Adn Galeria, Barcelona (2018); Absolute silence does not exist, Fundación Cerezales, León (2018); Surplus Production Line, Adn Galeria, Barcelona (2015); STOCK, MAS – Museum of Modern Art, Santander (2013); New Production Structures, Adn Galeria, Barcelona (2012) which received the GAC Award for Best Exhibition in a Private Gallery in Barcelona; The Value of Absence, Kunsthalle Basel (2013). Selected group shows: After Leaving | Before Arriving, 12th Kaunas Biennale (2019); Hors Pistes, Centre Pompidou, Paris (2015); Bread and Roses, Museum of Modern Art of Warsaw (2015); Atopolis, Manège de Sury and WIELS contemporary Art Centre, Mons (2014); How To Work, Kunsthalle Basel (2012); FGAP, Pinchuk Art Center, Kiev (2014); Untitled (Two Takes on Crisis), de Appel Arts Centre, Amsterdam (2016); Artlab, Queens Museum of Art, New York (2014); 10th Shanghai Biennale, Shanghai (2014). His works are in private and public collections, including: MAS – Museo de Arte Moderno y Contemporáneo de Santander y Cantabria (Spain), MACBA – Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona (Spain), Collection Alain Servais (Belgium), Collection Lemaître (France), Collection A. de Galbert (France), Collection Teixeiras da Freitas (Portugal).