Virgilio Sieni
Atlante del gesto (Atlas of gesture)
18 September–3 October 2015
Fondazione Prada, Milano
Largo Isarco 2
20139 Milan
T +39 0256662613
visit.milano@fondazioneprada.org
www.fondazioneprada.org
#fondazioneprada
From 18 September to 3 October 2015, Fondazione Prada will present Atlante del gesto (Atlas of gesture), a series of choreographic actions conceived by Virgilio Sieni for its Milan venue. One of the most representative dancers and choreographers in the European scene, Virgilio Sieni is the director of the Dance Sector of the Biennale di Venezia and of Cango, the Florence-based body language and dance production center. Consisting of several actions—Origine (Origin), Rituale (Ritual), Annuncio (Announcement), Gravità (Gravity) and Nudità (Nudity)—the project unfolds in the Podium and the Cinema buildings, as well as on the external spaces of the compound, designed by Rem Koolhaas.
Atlante del gesto is the first performing arts project to be hosted by Fondazione Prada with the intention of expanding the range of knowledge and exploring other instruments of research beyond visual arts.
Atlante del gesto creates a dialogue with the traces of exhibition Serial Classic (9 May to 24 August 2015), co-curated by Salvatore Settis and Anna Anguissola, which opened on the occasion of the launch of Fondazione Prada’s new Milan venue. The exhibition setup, designed by OMA, comprises an alternation of travertine platforms supported by layers of transparent acrylic of different heights, allowing visitors to move freely through the space and come into direct contact with the statues on display.
Conceived by Virgilio Sieni, the project aims to replace the static nature of the classical works with the dynamism and vitality of the dancers’ bodies and of the people involved in the choreographic actions, transforming the exhibition space into a “landscape of gestures.” The theme of the copy in Greek and Roman statuary, which is the main focus of exhibition Serial Classic, is interpreted by Virgilio Sieni as “a source for knowledge transmission and a tool for constructing the human through gesture.” The project involves 74 dancers, both professional and non-professional, among whom are pairs of mothers and sons and people of all ages. They will be accompanied by two musicians, also performing in the open air courtyard between the Podium and Cinema, in which choreographic solo shows will take place.
Atlante del gesto will be articulated in the presentation of choreographic actions (every Friday and Saturday from 9pm), research phases (from Sunday to Thursday, 11am–1pm and 5–8pm) and “Videodanze 1960–1980,” a series of screenings related to the work of international choreographers from the 1970s and 1980s (daily, 2–4pm).
Information for the public
Choreographic cycles: Fridays and Saturdays from 18 September to 3 October, 9pm. Access is free. Booking is required by calling +39 0256662613 (daily, 10am–6pm).
Research phases: Sunday–Thursday, 18 September to 3 October, 11 am–1pm and 5–8 pm. Open to all visitors holding a valid admission ticket to the Fondazione.
“Videodanze 1960–1980” screenings: Daily, 18 September to 3 October, 2–4 pm. Open to all visitors holding a valid admission ticket to the Fondazione.
Press contacts
T +39 02 56 66 26 34 / press [at] fondazioneprada.org
