From September 4 - 8, 2024, the gently shaped hills of Monferrato in the Piedmont region of Italy hosted the fourth edition of Panorama, an annual exhibition organised by ITALICS, an institutional network of more than 70 galleries of ancient, modern and contemporary art, which highlights under-touristed architectural and landscape contexts across the country. Curated by Carlo Falciani, Panorama Monferrato led us on an exploration of the small towns of Castagnole, Camagna, Vignale and Montemagno.

The main inspiration for this year’s edition comes from the principles of La civil conversazione (The Civil Conversation, 1574), a treatise on the art of conversation by the Italian author and diplomat Stefano Guazzo (1530 - 1593). Written as a dialogue and set in Casale Monferrato, La civil conversazione was widely read across Europe in its era, and still conveys relevant values, according to the curator, who said, “Only in the possibilities offered by a civil conversation will it be possible to find a composition between different identities and a possibility of survival without conflict.” For this reason, Panorama Monferrato proposes to be a response to the fractures of recent history, presenting 63 artists who are represented by 62 galleries from a wide range of historical phases and cultural areas. The ethical and social value of dialogue is thus also expressed through eclectic and sometimes unexpected combinations, which find a particularly evocative setting within the buildings and streets of Monferrato, a UNESCO heritage site since 2014. Panorama Monferrato is realised under the patronage of UNESCO, the Ministry of Culture and the Piedmont Region and with the territorial coordination of Alexala -  Agenzia Turistica Locale della provincia di Alessandria and the Ente Turismo Langhe Monferrato Roero.

Sacredness of Art, even Secular Art in Castagnole

Contemplation is the focus of the section exhibited in Castagnole and some renowned Italian artists reflect on this topic in a significant way. The interiors of a private residence known as Casa della Maestra evoke a meditative atmosphere through a selection of works by artists such as Giorgio Morandi (1890-1964), Fausto Melotti (1901-1986) and Claudio Parmiggiani (b. 1943). Parmiggiani’s evanescent shadows left by smoke on wood panels are reminders of life’s inevitable transience and an even more evident precariousness emerges from the ash and dust installation Nel tempo che tace (In the time that is silent, 2024) by Maria Elisabetta Novello (b. 1974). The former kindergarten Asilo Regina Elena welcomes us with a surprising stratification of sounds and colours, as we can see in works such as the stairs’ intervention by the Atelier dell’Errore collective and the shattered mirror installation Passi (Steps, 2024) by Alfredo Pirri (1957), revealing fragility at every instant.

Only in the possibilities offered by a civil conversation will it be possible to find a composition between different identities and a possibility of survival without conflict. – Carlo Falciani, curator, Panorama Monferrato

Work and Roots in Camagna

Suffering and belonging are the core of the section displayed in Camagna. Gianpietro Carlesso (b. 1961) presents a weathered steel sculpture Tutto muta (Everything Mutates, 2013) that leads us to the former Cottolengo (Institute for Mentally and Physically Disabled). This place becomes the frame for a reflection on interconnectivity through fibre works, such as the synthetic hair sculptures by Binta Diaw (b. 1995) and the colourful ropes, fabrics and beads woven together by Maria Nepomuceno (b. 1976). The relationships between this venue and the surrounding geography are evoked through portraits of the local community, photographed by Franco Vimercati (1940-2001) in the 1970s and ‘80s. The paradoxical nature of life (2023) by Arcangelo Sassolino (b. 1967), consisting of an anvil suspended on glass, symbolically represents the human condition in modern times’ work culture.

Portrait and Identity in Vignale

The first venue in Vignale is Palazzo Callori, a triumph of pastel shades and ornaments that encapsulate a wide selection of identity-themed works. A significant example is the Marseille soap installation Rape (2001) by Elisabetta Di Maggio (b. 1964), hiding a tragic narrative beneath its reassuring appearance and scent, as it reproduces the names of bodily fluids involved in sexual violence. Photographic Currency (2019) by Akram Zaatari (b. 1966) consists of a traditional Lebanese quilt and some old photographs showing the artisans specialised in a technique that seems destined to disappear. Another example is From the series: Lo que contaba la abuela... (2017) by Susana Pilar (b. 1984), for which the artist transforms a family album into a delicate installation. In the semi-darkness of the church Chiesa dei Battuti, Patrick Tuttofuoco (b. 1974) takes inspiration from Catholic visual imagery in materials such as marble (Pink Limen, 2024) and neon (Drop the Body, 2021).

Caducity and Death in Montemagno

The last section of the exhibition unfolds in the surroundings of Montemagno’s castle. At the bottom of the mighty architectural complex, fabric works by artists such as Latifa Echakhch (b. 1974) and Ariel Schlesinger (b. 1980) evoke notions of transience. Theaster Gates (b. 1973) investigates the progressive disinvestment of sacred places in urban contexts with his film Gone are the Days of Shelter and Martyr (2014). A sense of physical and symbolic loss is echoed by the acrylic and collage work Giardino segreto (Secret Garden, 2023) by Pierluigi Scandiuzzi (b. 1993). In a hidden corner of the garden, Francesco Vezzoli (1971) presents a satirical reinterpretation of XVIII and XIX-century sculptural tradition surrounded by baroque floral compositions. In the final venue of Voltoni Scalea Barocca, Claire Fontaine’s neon sculpture Untitled (No Present) (2013) subverts the punk slogan No Future in a present time characterised by apparently hopeless uncertainty and tragedies.