Paradise is a nomadic exhibition format aimed at creating group exhibitions hosted in locations of architectural excellence. It involves the participation of emerging, under-represented artists and the collaboration with galleries and international curatorial projects. The first episode took place in Genova, at Palazzo Franzone Spinola di Luccoli in March 2022.
Paradise brings together the anthological aim of the museum model, the active curatorial research, and an attention to active collecting. The exhibiting concept is based on the strict relationship between environmental and social justice, the sex ecologies analysis, intersectional feminism and non-western feminism. The aim is to propose a intersectional approach, non-binary, with the purpose of rethinking human normativity and curatorial practice itself.
For the Lecce edition, “a paradise for the smiling alligators” analyzes the concept of borders and the role of city walls as separation tools between civilization (what is considered “normal”) and what is unknown, extraneous and outside the norm. The title is inspired by Paul B. Preciado’s “Apartment on Uranus” and Jean Genet’s “The Thief’s Journal”. In the two books, Uranus becomes the place where it is possible to break free from the restrictions imposed by power, gender, and race – an invention of the modern age. Uranus, a planet that is inaccessible for any life form, turns into a home for humiliated creatures, the “smiling alligators”, those who have been rejected as non-conforming, and at least on Uranus, are free to feel at home and embrace the constant transitions of life.
With the purpose of understanding how to move within borders and challenge the binary idea of conformity, the selected artists are invited to examine themes such as intersectionality as a laboratory of transformation, the matter of the individual in the post-human condition, and of the borders beyond post-colonialism.
The artworks and the performances by Ada M. Patterson, Ambra Castagnetti, Charlotte Edey, Gianna Rubini, Ginevra Dolcemare, Hawazin Al-Otaibi with Agostino Quaranta, Hoa Dung Clerget, Hongxi Li, Jakob Rowlinson, Paolo Bufalini and Reiko Whitfield question – through different approaches – the complexity of the world and seek to create new spaces of freedom and critical debate.
Paradise is organized by BeAdvisors Art Department (London-Milan) and Knot Agency (Milan) and it is curated by Marta Orsola Sironi. For its second edition it involves the participation of Copperfield and Linda Michelle Mognato for Harlesden Highstreet. Andrea Isola is in charge of the exhibit design, Crates of the exhibition set-up, Manuela Nobile and Ortica Studio of the graphic project, Guido Grignaffini of the communication and Maria Vittoria Pellini of the fundraising practices. Paradise is part of Capriola | an art week in Lecce program and is enlivened by performances and side events throughout the week.
Lecce 26.6.2022 – 3.7.2022
West Bastion – Urban Wall Park, Lecce
