Nov. 20 – An exhibition in Turin, then one in Shanghai: the project is ambitious, fresh, and young mixing cultures, languages and the trends of two fascinating cities. “TO_SH Turin Shanghai. Dialogues of Art” is an exhibition that was held until last Saturday, November 16, at Palazzo Saluzzo Paesana of Turin. The exhibition is sponsored by the Garuzzo Institute for the Visual Arts (IGAV) and stars thirty young artists: fifteen working in Turin and fifteen in Shanghai. The project was designed and set up by IGAV in partnership with the East China Normal University in Shanghai – Faculty of Design. “TO_SH Turin Shanghai. Dialogues of Art” originates from the desire to exchange and compare, for the first time ever, two dissimilar realities grounded in a cultural, political and social millennial history. These strong traditions, despite widespread globalization, anchor the artistic imagination that comes to life in the respective metropolitan areas in the solid roots of a strong and shared memory. The Turin exhibition has as artistic director Guido Curto and as editor Alessandro Demma for the Italian side and Wei Shaonong on the Chinese side. The event is a recognition of the art scene by artists under 35. The idea is to show different experiences in languages and trends – sculpture, painting, video, photography, and installation art – reflecting on the meaning of making art today in opposing realities united by a wide open and fast-changing world. A world defined by Polish sociologist Zygmunt Bauman as “liquid.” “TO_SH” intends to open a debate on two “critical art areas” and analyze the experience of the younger generation, who, living and working in these two realities, question their own role as artists in Shanghai and Turin. The project includes a second show, scheduled for 2014, in Shanghai.
