Straperetana 2021 - The New ∀bnormal

The 2021 edition of straperetana will take place as always in Pereto, a hamlet in the province of L’Aquila, Italy. Now in its fifth year, the exhibition has become a fixture of Pereto’s cultural summer programme. This year will see the participation of 24 artists, whose works will occupy various spaces across the town. The artistic interventions, situated in historic sites, roads, and abandoned buildings, will create a trail which will embrace the entire town, creating an unusual experience tied not only to the works but also to exploration of Pereto itself.

The New ∀bnormal  takes its name from the title of the most recent album by the American band The Strokes, who released it in early 2020, in the midst of Covid-19. The expression is apt for the ‘strange’ moment we are living in, almost as though endorsing the arrival of something new and non conforming, different from what we know.

It is precisely this concept of ‘strange’ that is one of the categories this exhibition wants to touch upon. The starting point for the show is The Weird and the Eerie (2016), an essay by the British cultural theorist Mark Fisher which delves into the titular concepts of ‘the weird’ and ‘the eerie’ in the contemporary world through various works of art, such as the writing of H.P. Lovecraft, Philip K. Dick, and Margaret Atwood, and the films of David Lynch and Stanley Kubrick.
Fisher employs ‘the weird’ to define that which is out of place and inappropriate, which elicits attraction and repulsion at the same time. He also applies it to the commingling of animals and humans, threshold worlds, the juxtaposition of contrasting terms and, more generally, to the surprising and unexpected. ‘The eerie’ instead manifests itself when “There is something where there should be nothing, or there is nothing where there should be something,” to quote Fisher himself. It is the direct experience of the unknown which can generate questions whose answers go beyond the limits of our knowledge.
In general, ‘the weird’ and ‘the eerie’ have to do with that which does not conform to reality, which breaks in as something unknown and seemingly unclassifiable. Fisher find a strong correspondence between these manifestations and everyday reality: that perennial sense of crisis and imminent collapse which in recent years has led to the desire to flee from a reality increasingly perceived as less desirable and sustainable – a lurking sentiment which has been amplified but certainly not caused by the pandemic.
In line with this vision, the 2021 edition of straperetana seeks to place our gaze on the shadows, the perturbing, and the stupefying. The exhibition will feature works tied to the notions of metamorphosis and hybridisation, alien and mysterious images, seemingly unidentifiable forms, and thresholds to cross. Numerous emerging artists will be featured alongside established ones, with a particular focus on the Abruzzo art scene thanks to Matteo Fato, who has collaborated together with Saverio Verini to discover local artists.
“We are very happy to announce this new edition of straperetana, after a complex and uncertain year. And we’re particularly happy that this coincides with our first five years, a symbolic and encouraging achievement,” state Paolo Capata and Delfo Durante, the minds behind straperetana. “The organisation of straperetana is always demanding: when last year’s edition ended, we immediately set about working on this year’s exhibition, which we hope is stimulating not only for the public but also for the participating artists. Our relationship with Pereto has generated as always unexpected short circuits and love at first sight amongst the artists, who love to spend time here – a sentiment that is returned by Pereto itself, as the exhibition is always warmly welcomed.”

The 24 invited artists of straperetana 2021 are: Giacomo Alberico (Chieti, 1994), Francesca Banchelli (Montevarchi, 1981), Giuditta Branconi (Teramo, 1998), Enzo Cucchi (Morro d’Alba, 1949), Luca De Angelis (San Benedetto del Tronto, 1980), Andrea Di Cesare (Pescara, 1977), Daniele Di Girolamo (Pescara, 1995), Floating Beauty, Luca Francesconi (Mantova, 1979), Oscar Giaconia (Milano, 1978), Francesca Grilli (Bologna, 1978), Sacha Kanah (Milano, 1981), Claudia Losi (Piacenza, 1971), Giulia Mangoni (Isola del Liri, 1991), Edoardo Manzoni (Crema, 1993), Paride Petrei (Pescara, 1978), Giulia Poppi (Modena, 1992), Carol Rama (Torino, 1918 - 2015), Andrea Respino (Mondovì, 1976), Moira Ricci (Orbetello, 1977), Giuliano Sale (Cagliari, 1977), Andrea Salvino (Roma, 1969), Gabriele Silli (Roma, 1982), Giovanni Termini (Assoro, 1972).

The artists’ interventions will be on view from Saturday, 17 July, from 11:00am to 8:00pm. Exhibition visits will be organised into small groups, and in allocated time slots, in accordance with current safety regulations. For bookings, please contact: info@straperetana.org
The exhibition runs until Sunday 15 August and will be open to the public on weekends, 4 – 8pm, free of charge. Weekdays by appointment only.