Unveil your soul’s sight, intrepid voyagers of art! Here in Milan’s beating heart, amid the 28th enchantment of Miart, launched on April’s breeze and lingering till the 14th, 2024, Milano Art Week pledges a tapestry of modern and contemporary art, weaving through realms beyond time and space, beckoning us into a realm of boundless wonder.
In the realm of Milan, where the Sforza Castello stands tall, a tale unfolds, whispered in the breeze that dances through the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele. It’s a story of visionaries, their hearts brimming with artistic fire, who dreamt of a stage for the contemporary muses. Milano Art Week. Its story isn’t a single bloom but a vibrant tapestry woven from threads of artistic expression. The tale begins not long ago, a mere two decades past. Milan, already a powerhouse of design and fashion, craved a space for contemporary art to take centre stage. A whisper, a yearning, echoed through galleries and museums, yearning to spill out onto the streets.
And so, the seed was sown. A collaboration blossomed between the city’s beating heart and its artistic soul. Galleries flung open their doors, museums unveiled their newest treasures, and public spaces became canvases for creative exploration. The city was transformed, and its historical grandeur was adorned with the electric energy of contemporary art.
Each year, Milano Art Week becomes a vibrant dance. The established fair, Miart, acts as the grand ball, where galleries from across the globe pirouette with their most captivating works. But the true magic lies beyond its walls. Public art bursts forth like confetti, transforming everyday spaces into open-air galleries. Young, daring artists weave their stories onto walls, and established masters lend their voices to the symphony.
Milano Art Week is a love letter to the transformative power of art. It’s a vibrant tapestry woven from the threads of collaboration, a testament to the city’s ever-evolving soul. It’s a stage where the whispers of the past meet the shouts of the future, all under the warm embrace of the present. So, come dear traveller, and lose yourself in this artistic symphony, where Milan’s streets become a living, breathing work of art.
THE HIGHLIGHT: MIART
Miart, the Milano trade fair for modern and contemporary art, enters its 28th edition, which will be held from 12 to 14 April 2024.
Under the canopy of Allianz MiCo, from the 12th to the 14th of April, the spirit of creativity unfurls its wings, eager to transcend boundaries and traverse realms unseen. Like the verses of a haunting melody by Franco Battiato, Miart 2024 takes flight under the title “no time no space,” an ode to the boundless yearning within the human soul.
Led by the visionary Nicola Ricciardi, this edition of Miart emerges as a crescendo of growth, a flourishing garden where galleries bloom with foreign allure, where the air is rich with the presence of international artists, collectors, and custodians of art’s sacred flame. With each passing year, the fair becomes a beacon of inspiration, drawing closer to the 60th International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia, as if pulled by the gravitational force of destiny itself.
And, oh, the tale does not end there. Woven into the fabric of Miart, 2024 is a visual symphony orchestrated by the hands of Cabinet Milano. Founded by the visionaries Rossana Passalacqua and Francesco Valtolina, this studio breathes life into dreams, painting surreal landscapes where art, nature, and reality converge in a delicate dance. In collaboration with the enigmatic American photographer Charlie Engman, they craft a masterpiece that transcends the ordinary. In this vision, the boundaries blur, and the mundane gives way to the extraordinary. It is a story told in whispers and echoes, spun from the threads of imagination, inviting all who dare to step beyond the confines of time and space and into the realm of pure enchantment.
Imagine the city as a vast canvas, pulsating with the electric theme – “no time, no space.” Boundaries dissolve, and artistic exploration knows no limits. One hundred eighty-one galleries from 28 countries gather and Picture a dazzling ballet. Established international galleries pirouette with their most captivating works while a growing number of Italian voices join the dance, showcasing the depth and brilliance of contemporary Italian art. Over half the participants hail from this artistic powerhouse, ensuring a feast for the eyes.
But Miart isn’t just a grand spectacle. It’s a captivating story unfolding in three distinct chapters. Established, the seasoned narrator of the event returns with a flourish, featuring prominent Italian galleries alongside a growing chorus of international voices. Here, established masters weave a tapestry of artistic legacy. Next, Emergent enters the scene, a space pulsating with youthful energy. Twenty-three new talents from around the globe take centre stage, their innovative creations injecting a shot of adrenaline into the artistic discourse. Imagine a vibrant jam session where fresh perspectives and unconventional approaches collide in a beautiful explosion of creativity.
But wait, there’s more! Portal, a brand new section for this year, throws open the doors to 12 galleries. Each one acts as a portal to a unique artistic universe – some distant, some near, all waiting to be discovered. It’s like peering through a kaleidoscope, where fragments of diverse artistic practices from across space and time come together in a mesmerizing display. And the story doesn’t end there! Timescape, a path that unfolds over the next three years, promises to weave the past into the present. Imagine ancient artefacts and artworks from distant eras sharing the stage with contemporary masterpieces. It’s a mind-bending exploration of artistic evolution, blurring the lines between past and present.
But Miart’s magic isn’t confined by walls. The energy spills into the city’s veins, transforming streets into vibrant arteries pulsing with artistic expression. The “Comets: Vanguards of another solar system” project shoots across the night sky like a dazzling comet, bringing artist-made films to the Anteo Movie Palace. Prepare to be dazzled by visionary narratives and innovative cinematic storytelling. The energy is contagious, and it transcends the boundaries of Art Week itself. It spills over into Milan Design Week the following week. Design itineraries weave through Milanese art galleries, creating a beautiful bridge between the two artistic powerhouses. Imagine a seamless flow where innovation in design meets artistic brilliance, creating a truly inspiring experience.
So, dear art adventurer, are you ready? Milano Art Week awaits, a vibrant tapestry woven with history, innovation, and the boundless potential of human creativity. Come, lose yourself in the magic, and discover the artistic universe that awaits! From established masters to emerging talents, from captivating installations to mind-bending explorations of time, this is an artistic odyssey you won’t want to miss.
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Jain Syriac Babu is a Kerala-born, Italy-based theatre artist and art enthusiast.
