“THE GREAT ITALIAN VISION – Farnesina Collection” at the United Nations in New York
Curated by Achille Bonito Oliva
From October 13 through October 27 2023, at the United Nations Headquarters
Inauguration – United Nations Headquarters – October 12, 6pm
On display now through October 27th, 2023
ITALIAN CULTURAL INSTITUTE OF NEW YORK
CONSULATE GENERAL OF ITALY
PERMANENT MISSION OF ITALY TO THE UNITED NATIONS
RESIDENCY OF ITALIAN AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED NATIONS
An exciting journey through the history of Italian art from the twentieth century to our times begins on Thursday October 12 at 6pm at UN Headquarters in New York with the official opening of the UN exhibition of the “The Great Italian Vision – Farnesina Collection” (“La Grande Visione Italiana. Farnesina Collection”).
The exhibition is in display at the United Nations’ Delegates Entrance and on the Curved Wall.
The Permanent Representative of Italy to the United Nations, Ambassador Maurizio Massari, will cut the inaugural ribbon and open the event with his welcoming remarks, followed by the United Nations USG for Operational Support Atul Khare, the Director of the Italian Cultural Institute of New York, Professor Fabio Finotti, and the art critic and exhibit curator Achille Bonito Oliva.
The project landing in New York offers a grand tour of Italy’s creativity through 71 works selected from the extraordinary art collection of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Italian Republic.
The works, which speak to the rich cultural heritage of Palazzo della Farnesina in Rome, are in display at several of Italy’s institutions in New York. The exhibit is making stops at the Permanent Mission of Italy to the United Nations, the Residency of Italian Ambassador to the United Nations, the Italian Cultural Institute of New York, and the Consulate General of Italy. New York is one of the numerous locations touched this year by the exhibit in its international journey. The collection has already travelled through Asia stopping in Singapore, Tokyo, New Delhi and Seoul, before landing on US soil.
More in detail, 26 out of the 71 works in New York are on display at the Italian Cultural Institute of New York, 17 at the General Consulate of Italy, 6 in the hall and waiting room of the Permanent Mission of Italy to the UN and 3 at the Residence of the Permanent Representative of Italy to the UN. The UN Headquarters will exhibit 15 works, in display at the Delegates’ Entrance and on the Curved wall.
At the Delegates’ Entrance visitors will admire “Unique Forms of Continuity in Space” (1913) By Umberto Boccioni, “The Etruscan” (1976) by Michelangelo Pistoletto and “Jupiter et Antiope” (2016 – 2021) by Giulio Paolini; “Hermes” (2007) by Vettor Pisani, “ Pinguino Camouflage” N°X1, N°X2 (1987 – 2005) by Maurizio Mochetti, “All the steps taken in my life have brought me here, now” (2005) by Alberto Garutti, “Untitled” (1996) by Vanessa Beecroft.
“Santuary” (1986) by Mario Schifano, “Journey to Italy” (1955) by Achille Perilli, “CleoPatria” (1998) by Luigi Ontani, “Lin-sat” (1987) by Sergio Lombardo, “Quadro celeste” (1994) by Gianni Dessì and “Untitled” (2022) by Domenico Bianchi, will be on display on the Curved Wall.
Notably, one of Francesco Clemente’s great works will be on display exclusively at the New York’s exhibit. The artist generously offered the Wings of Desire V, 2023 as a tribute to the exhibit “The Great Italian Vision – Farnesina Colelction” and the institution hosting it.
A preview of the project was offered with an opening at the Consulate General of Italy in New York on 18 September, when Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Antonio Tajani was visiting to participate in the High Level Week of the 78th Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations.
The exhibition will be on display at the UN Headquarters from October 13 to 27.
THE GREAT ITALIAN VISION – FARNESINA COLLECTION.
Achille Bonito Oliva – General Curatore
Paola Marino – Exhibition Executive Developer
Simona Rossi – Exhibition Executive Coordinator
Anna Fresa – Exhibition Project
