The exhibition 'Essential Art' would like to draw attention to a particular understanding of art which, beyond all differences in style, materials and working procedures, is shared by a pool of artists who have been working on the international scene, each of them showing their own specific approach to this common feeling.
'Essential Art' shows a spoliation of art making, which pushes itself as far as its initial gesture, reaching the very nakedness of the appearing artwork, of the appearing world.
Eight artists have been invited to participate in this project: an exhibition of recent works specifically produced for the occasion will make manifest this approach to 'the manifold feeling of an art in search of its essence'. The exhibition, organised by Collezione Maramotti, is conceived as an experience through this multiplicity of approaches - both from a practical and a poetic point of view - to daily life, to the most essential quality of what happens to each and everyone of us, every day of our lives.
The artists have been asked to contribute to the project not only with their works on show, but also with a personal 'statement' about the meaning of Essential Art to them and the relevance of this attitude to their work. These contributions will be included in the book accompanying the exhibition, thus creating a plurality of perspectives to access the definition of Essential Art itself.
This subject will be the focus of a conversation between philosopher Federico Ferrari, author of the project and of the critical essay accompanying it, and two of the participating artists, Gianni Caravaggio and Jason Dodge.
Being an institution for studies and research in visual culture with a strong international orientation, a conversation about the above issues is particularly interesting for CRAB Milan (Centro Ricerca Accademia di Brera – Visual Arts Department) which, since its creation, has been promoting enquiry into visual culture matters and into the relationship between art and philosophy, thanks also to the attentive contribution of its coordinator Francesco Correggia.
The meeting is open to anyone interested in the subject.
Arte Essenziale. Federico Ferrari, Gianni Caravaggio, Jason Dodge
13th April 2011, h. 10.00
San Carpoforo Church
Via Formentini 12, Milan
A project by CRAB in collaboration with Collezione Maramotti
