Opiemme. Ciò che resta, ciò che cambia

Marignana Arte Gallery is pleased to present Opiemme's first solo exhibition in the spaces of Marignana Project, entitled Ciò che resta, ciò che cambia. The exhibition, open from November 23, 2024 to March 1, 2025, represents a new chapter in the evolution of the Turin-based collective, renowned since the early 2000s for merging poetry with public spaces. Their work bridges visual art and the written word, pioneering what has come to be known as "street poetry."

The exhibition explores the transformation of poetic language into abstract forms, delving into the power of words to evoke emotions and open spaces for reflection. A leading figure in contemporary verbo-visual research, Opiemme draws inspiration from the poetry of Andrea Zanzotto and his ethical-ecological approach to create works that dissolve textual meaning into images and sensations. Through the canvases of the Rewritings series and material collages born from en plein air installations, the collective investigates the concepts of change and rebirth, symbolizing matter's ability to transform in order to survive.

Since its inception in the early 2000s, Opiemme's research has aimed to renew the way poetry communicates, often presenting it where the public least expects - in the streets, on walls, through participatory performances. This new artistic phase, showcased at Marignana Project, focuses on the relationship between words and nature, with a strong reference to reflection on the impact of progress on the environment. Like Zanzotto's poetry, Opiemme prompts reflection on the balance between development and self-destruction, probing the limits of contemporary industrialized society.
Ciò che resta, ciò che cambia invites visitors on a unique artistic journey that blends poetry, visual art, and ecological consciousness. Laden with emotional and cultural meanings, Opiemme's works offer a space for intimate dialogue between the visitor and the work, exploring relevant contemporary themes. This exhibition firmly establishes Opiemme as one of the key contemporary exponents of verbo-visual research that began in the 1960s.

At the same time, the main space of Marignana Arte will host Human Gravity, a group exhibition conceived by Opiemme that runs parallel to their solo show.
The exhibition will be accompanied by critical essays by Claudio Cravero, Co-Director of Turin's experimental art center founded by artist Piero Gilardi PAV until 2014, and currently Chief Curator at the Zayed National Museum in Abu Dhabi (UAE); and Stefano Dal Bianco, poet and curator of Zanzotto's work for Oscar Mondadori, who won LericiPea,Viareggio-Rèpaci, PontedilegnoPoesia, Paolo Prestigiacomo and Premio Strega Poesia poetry prizes in 2024 for his book Paradiso (Garzanti).

BIOGRAPHY
Opiemme is a collective founded in Turin in 1998. The artworks in the exhibition were conceived by Margherita Berardinelli, Tommaso Campano, and Davide Bonatti. Opiemme's work explores the boundaries between words and images, analyzing the characteristic elements of poetry, whether written, recited, illustrated, narrated, or read silently. Opiemme acts as a spokesperson for "public poetry," creating open situations that engage impromptu participants or develop through community projects. The aim is to inspire reflections on the ways we are accustomed to communicating and understanding poetry. In this ever-evolving space, Opiemme introduces abstract forms, often distant from codified words or realistic illustrations, capturing the essence of the text through emotional and personal reinterpretation. Part of the collective's research focuses on the relationship between humans, technology, and nature, without clear boundaries between these three aspects, which intertwine and blend. Opiemme's work raises questions about the sense of inadequacy typical of our hyper-technological and hyper-informative era. Drawing on the concept of alienation introduced during the industrial age, Opiemme investigates "what remains and what changes" in a world increasingly distant from the natural cycles and rhythms to which humans were once accustomed. Opiemme's works are part of prestigious collections such as Imago Mundi Luciano Benetton, Magma Museum in Follonica, the Fernando Pessoa Foundation in Lisbon, the Pistoletto Foundation, and MAU in Turin.