Francesco Arena: There is Nothing Here

Sprovieri is delighted to present There is Nothing Here, Francesco Arena’s fourth solo exhibition at the Gallery.

 

The title of the exhibition, ironically, suggests that there is nothing present, but in reality, the exhibition is filled with various objects and elements. One prominent feature of the exhibition is the presence of words. Some words are composed in bronze, ensuring their longevity over time. Some of these words are visible, while others are hidden because they keep a window open. However, this doesn't prevent Simone from embracing them and incorporating them into an endless poem. The bronze also contains words that originate from a place other than the exhibition space but are displayed on the wall as a portrait of that absent place, similar to the things that are not physically present. Around a column, there are words written in pencil that depend on the column for support and measurement. These words, however, will be easily erased at the end of the exhibition, leaving behind a description of nothing but themselves. Additionally, there are words spoken to describe a work that is not physically present but exists only through its narrative. These words are not confined to a repeated text but rather spoken "by feeling," allowing for variations while still describing the same absent thing that exists elsewhere and remains unchanged. Beyond words, there are materials—the substances from which things are made, both those that are physically present and those that are not. The artist chooses not to write words about these materials. Overall, "There is Nothing Here" is an exhibition that challenges the notion of absence and presence, blurring the lines between tangible and intangible, and exploring the role of language and materials in art.

 

"At the beginning of everything, though I put it last, in here is us, me first, you now." - Francesco Arena