Fondazione Benetton and Gallerie delle Prigioni present an exhibition dedicated to the 30th edition of the International Carlo Scarpa Prize for Gardens, which this year is awarded to The Tea Gardens of Dazhangshan in China.
The Ground We Have in Common ( Saturday 11 May-Sunday 1 September 2019 ) revisits ideas and themes that have traversed the previous editions of the Prize, bringing together artworks, archival material, texts, photographs, publications and films. It examines the languages chosen by contemporary artists who, starting from personal experiences and contexts, explore both the concept of the garden in a wider sense and that of taking care of the land.
A selection of artworks addresses broader themes relating to the Carlo Scarpa Prize through different artistic approaches. History and memory form a lens through which to examine the symbiotic relationship between humanity and our environment, raising questions of preservation and renewal. The research focuses on the role that trade and exchange – both interpersonal and international – have played in shaping how we experience our surroundings. Susan Hiller explores this concept in her sound work that references Mendel’s genetic theories, while Petros Efstathiadis’ photographs evoke a complex connection with his hometown that is both highly localised and universal.
The physicality of natural elements is another key theme – fruit, leaves, seeds, an integral part of Christiane Löhr’s sculptures; wood, which is the material employed by Michele Spanghero to perceive sound; and clay, as seen in a brand new commission by William Cobbing. These materials pay testimony to the manual and intellectual skills that are required both for the transformation of the landscape and for the transmission of this knowledge from a local to a global context.
Curators: Patrizia Boschiero and Nicolas Vamvouklis.
Artists: Antonio Biasiucci, Andrea Caretto & Raffaella Spagna, William Cobbing, Petros Efstathiadis, Susan Hiller, Christiane Löhr, Laura Pugno, Naufus Ramírez–Figueroa, Elham Rokni, Armén Rotch & Gilda RG, Michele Spanghero, Cao Yuxi (James).
