'Parallel Visions' – online exhibition

‘Parallel Visions’ is a community exhibition exploring twentieth century Italian art and design history through contemporary artistic practices and academic research.

Showcasing the work of four artists, an exhibition designer, and a design historian, their Italian cultural heritage is celebrated in paintings, photographs, sculptural objects, display systems, and virtual reality experiences. Artists Liliana Barbieri, Anna Caione, Sarina Lirosi and Wilma Tabacco have each created works in response to Italian designers, Bruno Munari, Gaetano Pesce, Alessandro Mendini and Giò Pomodoro. Digital reproductions by Flavia Marcello presents a virtual reality experience of the design and art museum, Milan Triennale. Karen Fermo references Giuseppe Pagano’s 1930s travelling exhibition design to create the exhibition catalogue’s display stand.

‘Parallel Visions’ celebrates the cross-fertilisation of ideas throughout Italian art and design history and pays tribute to the legacy of twentieth century Italian designers.

Image credit: Composite detail, ‘Parallel Visions’, 2022, dimensions variable, image courtesy of the artists.

Blue folded paper standing against a wall next to smaller yellow folded paper

Liliana Barbieri, ‘Danza 1-2’, 2020, mixed media on 100% cotton rag paper, 170 x 150 x 35cm approx, image courtesy of the artist.

A series of blue hexagons of different sizes overlapping on a white wall

Liliana Barbieri, ‘Negativo-Positivo’, 2020, gouache on timber, installation dimensions variable, image courtesy of the artist.

A hexagonal canvas painted to show a stack of shapes in blues, yellows, and oranges.

Liliana Barbieri, 'At This Point 1', 2020 mixed media on canvas, 60 x 60cm each, image courtesy of the artist.

A hexagonal canvas painted to show a stack of shapes in oranges, blues, and reds.

Liliana Barbieri, 'At This Point 2', 2020 mixed media on canvas, 60 x 60cm, each, image courtesy of the artist.

A hexagonal canvas painted to show a stack of 3 dimensional shapes in differerent shades of yellow.

Liliana Barbieri, 'At This Point 3', 2020 mixed media on canvas, 60 x 60cm each, image courtesy of the artist.

Strips of red hanging material in front of a wall with large red circles mounted on it.

Anna Caione, ‘La Mamma Dispersa’, 2020, acrylic paint and mixed media, dimensions variable, image courtesy of the artist.

A wooden stand showing a series of posters that stand side by side showing information about Parallel Visions

Karen Fermo, 'Parallel Visions Display System', 2020, plywood and aluminium, 220 x 240 x 50cm, image courtesy of the artist.

A computer generated image of a green house in a modern design with class windows and a second level with a small umbrella over a deckchair

Flavia Marcello, Casey Dalbo & Casey Richardson (in collaboration with EMD Studio), ‘Triennale Virtuale’: Fly-through of Virtual Reconstruction of the Saturday House for Newly Weds (1933)’, 2020, video, 1 minute 14 seconds, image courtesy of the artists.

A computer generated image of an exhibition space with a parge sign saying 'Vitruvio' and scaffolding in the large open space displaying items as part of an exhibition

Flavia Marcello & Casey Dalbo (in collaboration with EMD Studio), ‘Triennale Virtuale’: Fly-through of Virtual Reconstruction of the Exhibition of Serial Production (1940)’, 2020, video, 3 minutes 20 seconds, image courtesy of the artists.

A series of framed images on a wall, each showing gold objects

Wilma Tobacco, 'Gold Mine (for Gió Pomodoro)', 2020, metal, paper, glass, frames, dimensions variable, image courtesy of the artist and Gallerysmith.