Listen to the audio version of the article
Different styles, different looks, different aspects highlighted, but only one reference: Medea, one of the best-known, as well as most current, characters in classical dramaturgy, is at the center of the international contemporary art exhibition, hosted – until 30 September – at the ‘Old Market of Syracuse and entitled to the protagonist of the myth.
The exhibition, curated by Demetrio Paparoni and proposed by the Municipality of Syracuse, opens not by chance in conjunction with the representation, at the Greek Theater, of the tragedy of Euripides, directed by Federico Tiezzi, as part of the season promoted by the National Institute of Ancient Drama. Two moments that bear witness to the close link between classical theater and the city of Syracuse. But also two arts, painting and theatre, through which to read a complex, multifaceted figure and the numerous themes that emerge from his story: “besides the betrayal of family and country – as Paparoni underlines -, revenge and violence, the clash between pragmatism and sentiment, destructive love, exile and the condition of the foreigner, the demand for equality between men and women”.
The myth
In this exhibition, the works specially created by 17 international artists offer different looks and perspectives, by means of different styles: from surrealism to cubism, to symbolism that meets liberty (in the drawing by Sverre Malling), from the interaction between photography and sculpture (in the work of Margaux Bricler), to contamination with the languages of fantasy, cartoons and videogames (Rafael Megall) or with the deconstructed digital image (Chiara Calore). And many references to other authors, to previous visions of the Myth. Each taking a particular aspect, an idea to express a concept, a story (like the tapestry by Cian Dayrit which outlines “a map of the disastrous consequences of the colonial mentality”).
Colchis
Among the artists, also Rusudan Khizanishvili, Georgian, coming from the places of ancient Colchis that refer to the Myth: from here Medea arrived in Corinth and from here the founding settlers of Syracuse left. So many values, therefore, in a path between intense colors, enigmatic figures, nuanced thoughts, outlined or evoked by the authors (in addition to those already mentioned, there are works by Helgi Thorgils Fridjónsson, Francesco De Grandi, Ruben Pang, Daniel Pitìn, Nazzarena Poli Maramotti, Vera Portatadino, Nicola Samorì, Natee Utarit, Ruprecht Von Kaufmann, Wang Guangyi, Yue Minjun).
Medea, Ancient Market of Syracuse, until 30 September 2023