Visit | Naima Morelli

Published: Kentridge’s Triumphs and Laments on Escape

06-06-2016

TimesMaltaKentridge
For Escape – the Times of Malta’s Sunday magazine – I cover sensitive issues that are or have been in the art-related news. The news are for me a starting point for reflections, and this time around I couldn’t help to associate the polemics around contemporary Southafrican artist Kentridge’s murales on the walls of the Tiber, with self-righteous grassroots movement in the capital.

Of course what everything comes down to is a philosophical stance, spelled out by Kentridge himself: “Everyone’s triumphs and glories are someone else’s laments and shamefulness”

Here is the link to the piece

Published! Fondazione Prada on Global Comment

By: Naima Morelli

14-05-2016

English, Essay, Italy, Published, Visit

gcfondazioneprada

Last month I visited the art space Fondazione Prada in Milan with my curator friend Roberto D’Onorio. It was an interesting experience, both for the exhibition itself, by Goshka Macuga, and for the heavily regulated art space.

In this piece for Global Comment Roberto, Alexis de Tocqueville and Miuccia Prada herself all helped me think what Fondazione Prada stands for in the contemporary art landscape – and it is not what it looks like.

Here is the link to the piece

Video! Good Deeds Day for TeenPress

By: Naima Morelli

14-04-2016

English, Italiano, Italy, News, Reportage, video, Visit

gooddeeds2
The warm spring sun has not only been responsible for flushing us TeenPress reporters out of our den in Pietralata. It has also compelled us to engage in the “good deeds” dear to Collodi. My colleague Andrea and I have been sent by our Charlie to the “Good Deeds Day”, an international event which in Rome took place in the Circo Massimo.

Leaving our usual cynicism at home, we tried to understand what was about this day that would remind us to be better people. What we found is that this gathering was an opportunity for associations and organizations to meet and let citizens know of their relentless commitment to the “good”.

Likewise, individuals engaged in ideals could come together. We found out that the idea of what “good” looked like was different for everyone. What was shared though was a great energy – whether it was strawberry-clad evangelical or a Mexican wise woman fighting for an alternative version of their flag, everybody was in high spirits. Enjoy the video!

Shubigi Rao Studio Visit, Goodman Arts Centre, Singapore

By: Naima Morelli

07-04-2016

English, Reportage, Singapore, Visit

During my last visit to Singapore I had the chance to visit the studio of Shubigi Rao, an incredible artist who reminded me of a modern-day Hypatia. With interests ranging from archaeology, to philosophy, to neuroscience (the list goes on and on) her work breaks barriers and definitions, and is injected by a good amount of irony.

For more than ten years she had operated under the name of S.Raoul, her scientist, theorist and archaeologist alter-ego, a lover for everything obscure and academic.

In my interview with Shubigi we talked about her background and her move to the Lion City. She introduced me to her body of work and her method of research. I’m in the process of elaborating the interview for my Singapore book – in the meantime enjoy these pictures taken at her studio.

Published! Faig Ahmed at MACRO for Escape

By: Naima Morelli

04-04-2016

English, Essay, Italy, Middle East, Published, Review, Visit

TimesofAzerbaijan
I have been following Azerbaijan’s exploits in the contemporary art world for quite a while now, and it has been interesting to look at the backstory behind their success. The opportunity for doing so was given to me by this great and dramatic show by Azerbaijan artist Faig Ahmed at MACRO, Rome.

The show was food for thought itself – confronted with this melting traditional carpets it was impossible to leave Zygmunt Bauman and Aldous Huxley out of the equation. I have written the story for Escape, the Sunday edition of the Times of Malta.

Here’s the link to the piece

Published! Indonesian art in Naples for Culture360

By: Naima Morelli

22-03-2016

English, Essay, Indonesia, Interview, Italy, Published, Visit

indonesianaples
Contemporary Indonesian art and literature have found a new home in the Italian city of Naples. I talk about it in this article called “Making Naples a home for Indonesian art and literature” for ASEF culture360. I have been a regular reader of this webmagazine – part of the Asia-Europe foundation – so I’m excited to have become a contributor.

For the piece I have interviewed Professor Antonia Soriente from Università degli Studi di Napoli and gallerist Vincenzo Montella who have contributed to promote the dialogue between Naples and Indonesia.

Here is the link to the piece

Video! Il Giardino di Matisse at Palaexpò for TeenPress

By: Naima Morelli

16-03-2016

English, Italiano, Italy, News, United States, video, Visit

matisse1
We are back with a new report from the Palazzo delle Esposizioni in Rome, where we followed a workshop for children inspired by the exhibition “Il Giardino di Matisse”, currently on in the Museum. This show displays the original art from the namesake book by writer Samantha Friedman and Italian illustrator Cristina Amodeo, who reinterpreted the work by Henri Matisse.

The book was created for the exhibition “Henri Matisse: The Cut Outs” at MoMA. This was part of a new project by the NY museum, consisting in publishing a book for every large show linked to its collection, and a collaboration with several houses national and international publishing houses. For Italy it’s Fatatrac.

The osmotic process ended up in this workshop at Palazzo delle Esposizioni, where children were trying their hand at the collage, helped by their parents. The workshop was in fact aimed at family – so that art can become a way to spend quality time together. Enjoy the video! (in Italian)

Published! Collectors’ museums in Indonesia for CoBo

By: Naima Morelli

08-03-2016

English, Essay, Indonesia, Research, Visit

indocollectorsmuseums
The Hong-Kong based webmagazine and platform CoBo has published my latest article called “Are Collectors Doing the Job of the Government in Indonesia?” In the piece I discuss the substantial role of Indonesian collectors in changing local art scene through the establishment of private museums – an act to substitute the role of local government’s in the promotion of contemporary art.

Here’s the link to the article
_

Opening of Attualità Indonesiane at Il Ramo D’Oro, Naples

By: Naima Morelli

07-02-2016

English, Indonesia, Italy, News, Visit

10399641_998459600222048_3320890136085085778_n
Yesterday was the opening night of the show “Attualità Indonesiane” at Il Ramo D’Oro in Naples, Italy, featuring artists Balinese artists Made Bayak, Gede Suanda and Naples-based Setyo Mardiyantoro. It was a successful and interesting night where people from many different background come together to learn about art making in Indonesia and the value of art in helping to grow awareness. The interesting thing about il Ramo D’Oro is its non-elitist approach. Gallerist Vincenzo Montella doesn’t want his space to be accessible only by vernissage hoppers, but rather to people from every walk of life.

Video! Technotown for TeenPress

By: Naima Morelli

01-02-2016

English, Italiano, Italy, video, Visit

Who would ever expect to find a technology wonderland right in the heart of the Villa Torlonia, Rome? Learning through play is the motto of Technotown, a building dedicated to children and teenagers to experiment with technology, nature and creativity.

Technotown consists in nine rooms equipped with different technologies, from Lego Mindstorms to the first plant ever to have a twitter profile. In this place children are no longer approaching technology in a mindless and lazy way. They are rather using it to imagine a sustainable future and developing new ideas.

I visited the place for a video report for the news agency Teenpress, guided by Technotown’s manager Gabriele Catanzaro. It has been a blast of energy and excitement. Technotown is the sort of place which reinforces my hopes for a better future. In their own little world, Technotown is forging a new generation of lateral thinkers and innovators. It’s a thing of beauty! And now for the video…

Robert Zhao Renhui Studio Visit, Goodman Arts Centre, Singapore

By: Naima Morelli

29-01-2016

English, Reportage, Research, Singapore, Visit

Welcome to another installment of my series on artist studio visits. This time we are peeking into the working space of Singapore artist Robert Zhao Renhui at Goodman Arts Centre. In the course of my reportage in Singapore I became familiar with this studio cluster, as many of the most prominent local artists are operating from here.

I find Robert’s studio pretty amazing. It is filled with the most strange objects and books related to science, biology and animals – included cushions shaped like kittens. If you are familiar with Robert Zhao artist practice, you will know he operates under the name of the fictional The Institute of Critical Zoologist. His work is all about developing a critical approach to the zoological gaze. This involves playing around with the believes of the viewer and acceptance of truths. Robert’s recent projects consider the increasingly ill-defined boundaries between the natural and the man-made.

Robert’s studio shows that zoology for the artist is not merely the subject of his work, but a real obsession. He demonstrates the theory of my friend curator Donato: “At the end of the day artist are people with single-minded obsession.”

Published! Australian arts professionals in Singapore for ArtsHub

By: Naima Morelli

19-01-2016

Australia, English, Interview, Published, Reportage, Research, Singapore, Visit

artshub13

Australian magazine ArtsHub has just published my latest piece where I profile three Australian art professionals who are leaving their mark on the Singapore art scene. These are Ben Hampe, co-founder of Chan Hampe Galleries, Bala Starr from the Institute of Contemporary Arts Singapore at LASALLE and artist Belinda Fox. This piece is part of my reportage on contemporary art in Singapore.

Here’s the link to the piece

Naima Morelli

Published: Kentridge’s Triumphs and Laments on Escape

Published! Fondazione Prada on Global Comment

Video! Good Deeds Day for TeenPress

Shubigi Rao Studio Visit, Goodman Arts Centre, Singapore

Published! Faig Ahmed at MACRO for Escape

Published! Indonesian art in Naples for Culture360

Video! Il Giardino di Matisse at Palaexpò for TeenPress

Published! Collectors’ museums in Indonesia for CoBo

Opening of Attualità Indonesiane at Il Ramo D’Oro, Naples

Video! Technotown for TeenPress

Robert Zhao Renhui Studio Visit, Goodman Arts Centre, Singapore

Published! Australian arts professionals in Singapore for ArtsHub

About

MY BOOKS

Categories

Archives