In celebration of the 150th anniversary of the Unification of Italy, the Piedmontese cultural association Asilo Bianco and the Bartoli Felter Foundation of Cagliari have collaborated for the first time to produce the contemporary art exhibition ‘Ai confini del regno (To the borders of the realm)’ .

The idea behind this exhibition is to reflect on our past, understanding its significance in the formation of Italy’s present-day identity, specifically playing with the point of view of young artists from Piedmont and Sardinia who are able to provide a fresh perspective on a theme that has consistently been addressed throughout the history of art. Think of the patriotic celebration of the country in the futuristic artwork from the beginning of the 1900s, or adopted Vacciago resident Antonio Calderara’s small picture from the figurative period which proposes a series of tri-color period hats.

The selected artists were asked to give their own interpretations as to what it means to be Italian; what Italy represents for those who were born and have grown up in this country; and the nature of the admittedly complex relationship between the united regions with many cultural and geographic differences.

‘Ai confini del regno (To the borders of the realm)’ seeks to provide a platform for the voicing of original deliberation on themes that too often fall victim to coverage by magniloquent rhetoric or, on the opposite end of the spectrum, are met by the excessive detachment so common amongst the younger generation. The collections of military and civil weapons, printed materials, maps, flags, and proclamations from families from Ameno (Vegezzi, Solaroli, Reiser, and Tornielli, for example), all connected to the Piedmont and Cusio regions, have had various fundamental roles in the Italian Resurgence. These pieces have been the creative spark behind a dialog between the present and the past.

The Tornielli count was the secretary of Cavour, and Saverio Francesco Vegezzi held the role of Minister of Finance from 1860 to 1861; he was the Inviato Confidenziale to Vittorio Emanuele II and the Pope in 1865, and a Senator of the Kingdom in 1867. Another interesting fact is that Piedmont and Sardinia had been annexed by the Savoy into the kingdom nearly a century apart, becoming, respectively, the northeast and southwest boundaries of the country.

The exhibit was based in the museum area of the Tornielli Palazzo in Ameno, a place where you can feel the area’s rich history in the atmosphere, an ideal place for the meeting of the ancient nobility of the palace’s landlords with the energy and fresh ideas of young visual artists, who probably make the most attentive observations of the socio-cultural changes taking place in the modern world.

The artists who were invited to participate were given the option of working with the exhibit organizers to create a site-specific installation in one of the areas adjacent to the Tornielli Palace.

List of artists on display:
Matteo Ambu
Alessio Carrucciu
Dario Costa
Valentina Daga
Elisa Desortes
Francesca Gagliardi
Alessandro Gioiello
Ludiko
Antonella Muresu
Marcello Nocera
Andrea Pescio
Andrea Pili
Enrico Tealdi
The Bounty KillArt
Marta Valsania

Presented again in Cagliari at the City Palace from March 16 – May 16, 2011.