10 Years Old - 2007-2017: A History Of The World

Fondazione Cassa di risparmio di Modena

March 11– April 30, 2017

Curator: Filippo Maggia

 

It has been 10 years since the birth of the Fondazione Fotografia Modena, a cultural project entirely devoted to imagery, soon evolved into an internationally renowned exhibiting and training centre. To celebrate this first important anniversary an exhibition will be organised in spring 2017, able to mirror the diverse range of activities carried out by the institution.

Curated by Filippo Maggia, head of the Fondazione Fotografia, and Chiara Dall’Olio, the exhibition 10 years old will run March 11th through April 30th, 2017, at the Modena Foro Boario, and will showcase a wide selection of highlights from the collection of photography and video art owned by the Fondazione Cassa di risparmio di Modena. As an operating company of the bank foundation, the Fondazione Fotografia is in charge of conservation and enhancement of this major collection, comprising more than 1,200 works.

250 masterpieces from the collection will be shown years after being purchased and exhibited for the first time, by 95 Italian and international artists, including Ansel Adams, Nobuyoshi Araki, Diane Arbus, Richard Avedon, Yto Barrada, Walter Chappell, Samuel Fosso, David Goldblatt, Pieter Hugo, Daido Moriyama, Adrian Paci, Hrair Sarkissian, Dayanita Singh, Wael Shawky, Hiroshi Sugimoto, Wolfgang Tillmans, Ai Weiwei, Edward Weston, Garry Winogrand, together with Olivo Barbieri, Gabriele Basilico, Franco Fontana, Luigi Ghirri, Mimmo Jodice, Walter Niedermayr.

All along its activity the Fondazione Fotografia has always put an effort in supporting young artists, promoting training courses, workshops and educational projects aimed at students, as well as open calls and contests. In order to mirror this salient aspect of its mission, a section of the exhibition, entitled Being Political, will present a selection of young Italian artists, under 40 years old, who have been chosen through a contest launched in December 2016 and entered by 77 participants.

Drawing on a video in collection, ‘How do you want to be governed?’, 2009, by Maja Bajevic, the contest was focused on young people’s relationship with politics. In the video, Bajevi? frames a tense, yet unemotional female subject, while a male hand enters the frame and engages with her physically. Although his body remains invisible, his voice can be heard, asking the question “How do you want to be governed,” over and over. No answer is given. Fondazione Fotografia has posed the same question to young artists, encouraging them to submit works reflecting on power relations inside and outside of the realm of the art system.

 

Modena, March 2017