The Blank, in occasion of the annual Contemporary Art Festival ARTDATE, presents STATEMENTS by Stefano Raimondi

12 November 2021 - 9 January 2022

Palazzo della Ragione, Bergamo

Press preview: Wednesday 10 November, 11 am

Opening: Thursday 11 November, 7 pm

Through the exhibition Statements some of the most important international artists launch their declarations - statements - to the world from Palazzo della Ragione, #bergamo - city that became symbol of the battle against the pandemic.

From the 12 of November 2021 to the 9 of January 2022 on the occasion of the #contemporaryart Festival “ARTDATE”, The Blank presents Statements, an exhibition-symbol that synthesizes the traumatic experience of the pandemic - lived by the entire world in the last two years - through new works created by some of the most important international artists. The exhibition is held at Palazzo della Ragione, situated in Piazza Vecchia, #bergamo, city-symbol of the drama generated by the COVID pandemic and of the will to resist and restart.

Cory Arcangel, John Armleder, Ed Atkins, Elmgreen & Dragset, Nathalie Djurberg & Hans Berg, Cao Fei, Regina José Galindo, Ryan Gander, Kendell Geers, Shilpa Gupta, Alfredo Jaar, Emily Jacir, Luigi Ontani, Yan Pei Ming, Diego Perrone, Jack Pierson, Paola Pivi, Pipilotti Rist, Pamela Rosenkranz, Marinella Senatore, Cally Spooner, Pascale Marthine Tayou, Goran Trbuljak, Nora Turato, Francesco Vezzoli, Lawrence Weiner are the international artists who accepted to launch to the world a statement in a visual or textual form. This is possible thanks to the work of association The Blank, a reality that today is a benchmark among the associations in the contemporary scene.

Each artist's statement will be presented inside and outside Palazzo della Ragione. This exhibition is designed to offer both an individual and a collective fruition of the artworks: each statement is hung for a day on the balcony in order to make it as a message sent to the whole world. Later, the same artwork is placed in the palace, where it is also possible to see the exhibition of all the other works thanks to Maria Marzia Minelli’s exhibition project.

During those extremely complex and dramatic times the words and the images used to express our thoughts can often be uncertain and conflicting. The art world has been severely affected by the emergency and a new situation was faced by multiple parties, from the artists to the institutions.

This is how the curator and artistic director of The Blank Stefano Raimondi describes the initiative: “I think this project can be of a great importance for culture, since it testifies a unity and a sense of togetherness in the #contemporaryart world, together with the need of the artists, and in general of the whole sector, to be listened. This exhibition contains multiple messages that I hope will be welcomed and shared. These artworks, made by artists of such a great importance, wouldn’t be possible without the immense generosity shown by each one of them in creating new works as statements. I am proud to bring such a high international profile project in my city, which has suffered so much from this incalculable drama.

Bergamo City Councilor for Culture Nadia Ghisalberti comments: “This special exhibition held at Palazzo della Ragione, situated in the heart of the city and symbol of its history, will literally look out and address everyone. The statements made by the artists will be a manifesto of beauty and determination, and an invitation to share ideas and projects for the future. This contribution will be of great value and energy, and will make our city grow towards 2023, when together with the city of Brescia will be the Italian Capital of Culture”.

Each statement will be included in a limited edition catalogue for a total of 250 copies published by The Blank Edition.

This exhibition is the result of a cultural agreement between the City of #bergamo and The Blank, aimed at enhancing and promoting #bergamo as a city of art and culture. The exhibition is also made possible thanks to the support and the contribution of Regione #lombardia, Fondazione UBI Banca Popolare di #bergamo, Fondazione della Comunità Bergamasca, Isocell. The exhibition would not have been possible without the generosity of the artists and the organizational support of the following galleries: Galleria Continua - San Gimignano, Beijing, Les Moulins, Habana, Roma, São Paulo, Paris; Massimo De Carlo - Milan, London, Hong Kong, Paris; Hauser & Wirth - Zurich, London, New York, Somerset, Los Angeles, Hong Kong, Gstaad; Lia Rumma – Milan, Naples; Lisson Gallery – London, New York, Shanghai, East Hampton; Peola Simondi – Torino; P420 - Bologna; Spruth Magers - Berlin; M77 Gallery - Milan; Thomas Brambilla - #bergamo.