VERNON CITY
Ovocny trh 573, Prague 1
9.3.2010, Prague
MAURO CUPPONE (born in Mantova, Italy, 1960)
Mauro Cuppone practices Art, Design, and Communication in their creative and productive intersections. Creatively born again many times, as an architect, designer, advertiser and filmmaker. In 2009 he was reborn as a visual artist, combining over twenty years of professional experiences. Professional consultant for Nutella, Du Pont, Mogu, Muji, Barilla, Bayer, Benetton; he taught at Università del Progetto, Reggio Emilia, Ontario College of Art, University of Toronto, Istituto Europeo di Design, Milano, D.A.M.S. Torino, European School of Economics. Creative Consultant of Inter Nos Agency and Creative Director of Ultralight Advertising. During his professional carrier he received several awards including: 4 Art Directors Club Awards, Nagaoka Design Competition, Toyooka Design Competition.
AHAB SYNDROME / PART ONE (by Ola Grzonkowska)
The art project of the Italian artist Mauro Cuppone consists of a series of sculptures (made of real size coffins) and canvas.
Coffins are designed as if they were made by some of the most famous and recognizable fashion designers in the world: Armani, Chanel, Prada, etc. Canvas, the counterpart of the project, present fashion designers’ coffins in the advertising posters aesthetics.
Consciousness of death has followed human being since the beginning of history as an inevitable element of existence. Mauro Cuppone in his peculiar style, full of irony, faces some of the aspects of collective imaginary about death in this contemporary consumer society.
Death is constantly removed, and/or at the same time, it's accessible when it's “visual”, when it becomes attractive to the recipients. Like the sublimation of the same removal process. Branded coffins of fashion designers do not arrange the funeral, but become a metaphorical reference to the perception of death in today’s world.
Ahab’s Syndrome reveals literally a moment of strong and extreme desire to reach the “inaccessible goal”, at any cost and any risk. The maniacal behavior of Ahab (the main character of the novel ‘Moby Dick’) seems to be actual today… and maybe it's our only remaining chance.
LET’S TALK ABOUT DEATH, PLEASE (by Mauro Cuppone)
Jean Cocteau wrote that mirrors would do well to reflect a little more before sending back images. Since we saw our image reflected in a mirror for the first time, we have felt a sense of inadequacy and have seen the chance to improve. What’s wrong with that? Ever since we were little children we have been told it was wrong and this has always helped establish relationships with our fellow human beings. That is the reason why we put a mask on and we sacrifice our body and our mind. We identify ourselves in pre-packed models in the free supermarket of Who’s Who. Everyday we face Hamlet’s dilemma: Armani or Versace?
Those among us who feel more daring (Ishmael) will venture towards undiscovered destinations, fascinated by extreme characters (Ahab) seeking the unseekable (Moby Dick). The aim is an individuality that cannot be given up but must be seen and understood while never being reached by the majority. It is an exhausting and risky job that can lead to a conscious self-destruction.
The award however is other people’s praise for this extreme choice. We rightfully pursue the “famous for 15 minutes” celebrity, which should never be refused to anybody looking for love. And then? What happens next?! Moby Dick is there right in front of us within a harpoon’s throw. Someone (Starbuck) tells us “Hold back! Otherwise it will kill you!” They take the harpoon from us and after a while we die anyway. We die in hospitals, like everybody else, surrounded by probes and white tiles.
MAURO CUPPONE (IT)/ AHAB´S SYNDROME – PART ONE
18.3.2010 – 25.4.2010, (pre-opening 18.3., 18:00), Vernon City Gallery
Vernon City Gallery, Ovocný trh 573, Prague 1, open: Tues-Fri 12–18
CONTACT
Feel free to contact me regarding photographs, interviews, etc.
Markéta Faustová/PR
+420 773 915 501, marketa.faustova@tina-b.com
VERNON CITY
Vernon City Gallery was opened thanks to the patronage of the company Metrostav on 26 May 2009 at Ovocný Trh in Prague, right in the heart of the Old Town. It is now the third exhibition space operating under the VERNON name (Vernon Gallery, Vernon Projekt, Vernon City).
Each of these three exhibition spaces has its own unique character. Vernon Gallery is a designed and very intimate apartment gallery located in the Letná district of Prague. It is open to the public, but it also offers a very private and tranquil environment for collectors and art patrons interested in the works on exhibit.
Vernon Projekt is a space created out of the former store window display area and offers passers-by a view into the world of modern art. It provides the ideal space for site-specific projects and conceptual art.
Vernon City Gallery is unique for its very location. The gallery ceilings immediately reveal the historical value of this space, which is located in one of the oldest buildings in Prague. In addition, the location has great potential for attracting more attention from the widest possible public.
Vernon City Gallery follows the same programme as Vernon Gallery and Vernon Projekt, mainly presenting modern art, the work of young artists from the Czech Republic and abroad and new approaches to art. This is evident in its first exhibition, ‘No Reply Necessary!’, presenting new media art by seven contemporary artists (Daniel Hanzlík, Jan Pfeiffer, Lukáš Machalický, Martin Kocourek, Darina Alster, Robert Šalanda a Florian Grond(AU).
Vernon City
Ovocny trh 573, Prague 1
Open: Wed-Sat (14:00-19:00)
