One cannot truly understand the history and development of Western Art without looking at the art and cultural scene in Italy. In particular, from its art historical role during the Renaissance to the Venice Biennale, Venice has been an artistic mecca that fosters many creative figures, shaping the art world as we know it today.
On the occasion of the ITALIA on STAGE Autumn Festival Hong Kong and the opening of Kwai Fung Salone's new exhibition Human Silk, we have invited Italian curators Aurora Fonda and Sandro Pignotti to talk about the historical significance of the lagoon city, the role of Venice Biennale in the development of contemporary art, the curatorial concept of Human Silk, as well as their visions for the School for Curatorial Studies Venice. At the same time, the Consul General of Italy in Hong Kong and Macau, Mr. Carmelo Ficarra, will also offer his insight into the development of Italian art and culture in the new generation.
The Art Talk is supported by the Consulate General of Italy and Italian Cultural Institute in Hong Kong.
Date: Thursday, 12 October 2023
Time: 14:30 – 17: 00
Venue: JC Cube, 1/F, Block 21, Tai Kwun, Central, Hong Kong
Language: English, with simultaneous Mandarin interpretation
14:30 - 16:00 Lecture
Ms. Aurora Fonda
Guest Curator of Human Silk exhibition
Aurora Fonda was born in Slovenia and currently lives in Venice, Italy. With a PhD in Art History, she has worked as an independent curator since 1993, curating exhibitions featuring established artists, such as Andy Warhol, Lucio Fontana and Joseph Beuys. Since 2003, she has been the director and curator of the A plus A Gallery, an official venue funded by the Ministry of Slovene Culture for the Slovenian pavilion at the Venice Biennale from 1998 to 2014. She was the curator of the Slovenian pavilion in 2001 and 2015.
In 2004, Fonda co-founded the School for Curatorial Studies Venice with Sandro Pignotti, with a focus on experimentation and interdisciplinary thinking. In 2015, they also established a private gallery featuring various artists. Fonda is also a regular critic and contributor for magazines, radio and television.
Mr. Sandro Pignotti
Guest Curator of Human Silk exhibition
Sandro Pignotti holds a PhD in Philosophy and German Literature. He was a fellow at the Franz Rosenzweig Minerva Research Center in Jerusalem and the Simon Dubnow Institute in Leipzig, Germany. He lectures at Kassel University and Bonn University, and has published articles and books about Walter Benjamin, Rainer Maria Rilke, Hermann Cohen, Franz Kafka, J. W. von Goethe and Leo Strauss.
Since 2004, Pignotti has been the director of the School for Curatorial Studies Venice, where he teaches Theory of Knowledge, Aesthetics and Art Theory. Alongside Aurora Fonda, he is the founder and director of the A plus A Gallery. They have organized exhibitions featuring artists such as Jesse Darling, R.B. Kitaj and Joseph Beuys.
16:00 – 17:00 Presentation
Mr. Carmelo Ficarra
Consul General of Italy in Hong Kong and Macau
Born in Messina in 1976, Carmelo Ficarra obtained a degree in Political Sciences from LUISS "Guido Carli" University in Rome in 1999. He further pursued a master's degree in European Studies at the College of Europe, Natolin Campus (Poland) in 2000. A career diplomat since 2002, he served in Baghdad, Moscow, Erbil and Tehran before being appointed Consul General of Italy in Hong Kong and Macau from the 1st September 2022. In his capacity, he supports consular activities and promotes Italian culture, business, society and sports to further increase and strengthen bilateral relations between Italy, Hong Kong and Macau.
Disclaimer: The speakers are participating without receiving any payment or benefit of any form. Any information, opinions and views shared or expressed in this Art Talk are based on personal research and opinion. The viewpoints of the individual speakers are not representative of Kwai Fung Hin Art Gallery or Kwai Fung Salone and do not constitute an endorsement of any artists, products or artworks.