TIRANA, Feb. 17 – Italy-based Albanian contemporary artists is showcasing a series of three videos in his second solo exhibition at Milan’s Prometeogallery.
“When dreams become necessity” investigates the importance of some performative attempts with the aim of redefining the idea of failure, Utopia and dreams as foundational moments for building a possible alternative, organizers say.
The exhibition comprises three videos of which “The Dream of Icarus Was to Make a Cloud (2009) is an attempt to create a cloud by flying with a paraglider. In “Some Say the Moon is Easy to Touch…” (2011) the artist launches himself in a bungee jump to touch the moon on the day this satellite is at the minimum distance from earth. In “Don’t look at The Sun while you’re expecting to Cross it” (2014) he decides to cross the sun after the Lovejoy comet passed through the perihelion in 2011, remaining intact.
“In the three performative actions, the artist tries to reach objectives commonly perceived as impossible. The anticipation and the technical preparation occupy practically the entire length of each video, and come to a quick conclusion in attaining the goal and in the consequent rupture of the illusion,” curators say.
“The imagination is not drained by the personal failure nor is it impoverished by the failures of science; rather, it accepts the challenges, opening itself up to reflection and to the research that can turn the promise into a commitment.”
Don’t look at The Sun while you’re expecting to Cross it (2014), is presented for the first time on this occasion.
His exhibition in Milan will remain open from February 18 to March 30.
Born in Shkodra, Driant Zeneli, 32, lives and works in Rome.
In 2011, he represented Albania at the 54th International Art Exhibition – Venice Biennale. In 2008 he won the Onufri International Contemporary Art Prize, Tirana, and in 2009 the Young European Artist Award Trieste Contemporanea.
He has exhibited in Italy, Greece, Germany, France and the Czech Republic.
