IDENTITY IN SPACE: SUN YUAN & PENG YU AT VILLA SAN MICHELE
Villa San Michele, a 16th century monastery with uninterrupted panoramic views of the city of Florence, will present ‘Teenager & Teenager’ by Chinese artists Sun Yuan and Peng Yu, both reputed for the often disorientating and provocative nature of their works, as well as their uncanny use of materials.
The positioning of these works under the monastic century arches of the entrance and corridors of the hotel is particularly intriguing, as they are rendered oblivious of the architectural majesty of a Renaissance masterpiece inspired by Michelangelo.
The works represent hyper-realistic sculptures of people seated on a sofa and armchairs whose heads have been replaced by huge rocks, thus preventing the viewer from identifying these mysterious characters, as well as erasing any possible form of communication. Both a humorous and sinister representation of society in modern times.
Sun Yuan and Peng Yu are known for their meditations on the human condition, which they achieve by stripping us of our conventional methods of filtering and framing the world. In this case, their interest lies in the nature of communication, as well as its limitations.
By exploring the rules that are imposed on us — or that we impose on ourselves — the artists invite the viewer to free themselves of limitations and approach our place in the world with a new perspective.
The art installation will be available to view by guests and visitors alike, from 21 May until 17 September 2023.
Sun Yuan – Peng Yu
IDENTITY OVER TIME: NARI WARD AT CASTELLO DI CASOLE
Castello di Casole’s grounds span over 4,200 acres of rural Tuscan countryside, providing the ideal home for Stallers (2013) by American artist of Jamaican origins Nari Ward, known for his sculptural installations created with discarded materials.
Stallers, a play on the word ‘strollers,’ consist of giant strollers, a seemingly playful reference to childhood encouraging viewers to stop, sit and relax as they move around the hotel gardens.
