SMDOT/Contemporary Art is proud to present the first solo show of Federico Poni, titled “SOLVE et COAGULA”. The title refers to the ancient alchemical formula that symbolizes the foundation and spirit of alchemy in general. Each of the presented pieces invites the viewer into a fertile, liminal space with the intent to transform “base” elements/symbols into “noble” ones.
Federico Poni was born in Pavia in 1996. Later on, he studied at the Brera Academy in Milan and eventually moved to the Netherlands, where he completed the Master Experimental Publishing at the Piet Zwart Institute, Rotterdam. Today he resides among the hills of the Romagna Toscana. He co-curates the Habitat project seeking contradictions and attempting to find antidotes against the globalized world. His exhibition project in Udine is the fifth and last event of 2024-after those of Anna Marzuttini, Noemi Durighello, Raffaele Santillo and Fabien Marques. All the artists welcomed my curatorial invitation to create a new term or concept inspired by philosopher Franco Berardi’s book “DISERTARE”, published in 2023 by Timeo. The concept in question, “RAS-SEGNAZIONE”, attempts in English to translate as “RE-SIGNATION”. With the title – RE-SIGNATION – this project ambitiously proposes the creation of a new milieu through a renewal of meaning and significance by means of the use of familiar signs; it would be carried by artistic practice. An asterisk accompanies the title, both as graphic and conceptual sign: RE-SIGNATION*.
SOLVE et COAGULA, Dissolve and Reassemble, Re-signify and Reassign. Throughout human history, the attempts to make sense of the nature of reality through various cosmogonies-or creation of myths-usually came out of spiritual or magical frameworks. Early cosmogonies filled the world with mystery and meaning, stitched into the fabric of life with divinity. Yet, in modern times, there has been a decided shift away from a magical view of the universe to a technical one, driven by science. Such a time shift raises an urgent question: might our grasp of reality be carriers of remnants of a magical cosmogony only partially masked by developments in empirical science and technology? I will not reveal this, but the works presented in this exposition, authored by Federico Poni, were accomplished by stitching, tattooing, and knotting-techniques, not technologies-of speaking to the image of creating worlds. They invite us to join hands in an imagined magic circle, searching for ways to re-enchant reality and, in so doing, reclaim the unique potential of creative power-too often entirely ceded to the hegemonic discourse of scientific progress.
The exhibition will open to the public on Saturday, November 16, at 4:30 PM. The artist will be present. A critical text will be available at the gallery.
SMDOT/Contemporary Art c/o KOBO SHOP
Via Palladio, 7, 33100 Udine (IT)
Email: me@smdot.net | Web: smdot.net
Opening hours: Tuesday to Saturday, 10 AM – 1 PM | 4 PM – 7 PM
SMDOT/Contemporary Art is proud to present the first solo show of Federico Poni, titled “SOLVE et COAGULA”. The title refers to the ancient alchemical formula that symbolizes the foundation and spirit of alchemy in general. Each of the presented pieces invites the viewer into a fertile, liminal space with the intent to transform “base” elements/symbols into “noble” ones.
Federico Poni was born in Pavia in 1996. Later on, he studied at the Brera Academy in Milan and eventually moved to the Netherlands, where he completed the Master Experimental Publishing at the Piet Zwart Institute, Rotterdam. Today he resides among the hills of the Romagna Toscana. He co-curates the Habitat project seeking contradictions and attempting to find antidotes against the globalized world. His exhibition project in Udine is the fifth and last event of 2024-after those of Anna Marzuttini, Noemi Durighello, Raffaele Santillo and Fabien Marques. All the artists welcomed my curatorial invitation to create a new term or concept inspired by philosopher Franco Berardi’s book “DISERTARE”, published in 2023 by Timeo. The concept in question, “RAS-SEGNAZIONE”, attempts in English to translate as “RE-SIGNATION”. With the title – RE-SIGNATION – this project ambitiously proposes the creation of a new milieu through a renewal of meaning and significance by means of the use of familiar signs; it would be carried by artistic practice. An asterisk accompanies the title, both as graphic and conceptual sign: RE-SIGNATION*.
SOLVE et COAGULA, Dissolve and Reassemble, Re-signify and Reassign. Throughout human history, the attempts to make sense of the nature of reality through various cosmogonies-or creation of myths-usually came out of spiritual or magical frameworks. Early cosmogonies filled the world with mystery and meaning, stitched into the fabric of life with divinity. Yet, in modern times, there has been a decided shift away from a magical view of the universe to a technical one, driven by science. Such a time shift raises an urgent question: might our grasp of reality be carriers of remnants of a magical cosmogony only partially masked by developments in empirical science and technology? I will not reveal this, but the works presented in this exposition, authored by Federico Poni, were accomplished by stitching, tattooing, and knotting-techniques, not technologies-of speaking to the image of creating worlds. They invite us to join hands in an imagined magic circle, searching for ways to re-enchant reality and, in so doing, reclaim the unique potential of creative power-too often entirely ceded to the hegemonic discourse of scientific progress.
The exhibition will open to the public on Saturday, November 16, at 4:30 PM. The artist will be present. A critical text will be available at the gallery.
SMDOT/Contemporary Art c/o KOBO SHOP
Via Palladio, 7, 33100 Udine (IT) Email: me@smdot.net | Web: smdot.net Opening hours: Tuesday to Saturday, 10 AM – 1 PM | 4 PM – 7 PM
