The morale of individuals, exhibition in Pompeii

“La morale dei singoli” (The morals of individuals),  the theme addressed by the fourth edition of doutdo (2018-2019) which will be inaugurated on 14^th of June 2019 – 06.00 p.m. – at the Pompeii excavations, Large Gymnasium.

The chosen theme focuses on the ethical “revolution” that can be triggered by the sense of responsibility of the individual and the actions of each of us, bearing witness to the power that individuals can yield when they connect with others, generating a collective awareness of responsibility to their community.

The morals of individuals: the concept of gift

Doutdo is a biennial project undertaken in 2012 and promoted by the Association “Friends of the MT. Chiantore Seràgnoli Hospice Foundation” with the aim to support the Hospice Foundation in Bologna: a “give to give” act that opposes or, to say the least, departs from a selfish, utilitarian “give to get” approach. A gift of meaning, and values, is what doutdo has to offer, seeking and asking for nothing in return.

This edition of doutdo aims to become a manifest to inspire management models combining responsibility and sensitivity, ethics and aesthetics, social and individual dimensions, to pursue shared objectives, driven by an, albeit minimal, revolutionary. This is why the works put on display at doutdo differ from one another. Each work is an independent, one-of-a-kind work, but all of them bear testimony to the moral outlook of the artists who make up the doutdo community.

The morals of individuals: why Pompeii

«This will be the first time, perhaps, that, in the ancient city of Pompeii, Greek at first, then Cuman, Samnite and eventually Roman, a Latin sentence with no apparent meaning will be pronounced in 2019 …not do ut des… but do ut do… the incipit of a new Pompeian narrative composed of words and images, between disappearances and reappearances, ruins and discoveries, cultural objects and natural materials, liberal arts and hard science. Between many individuals and one community». Andrea Viliani. Curated by Director of MADRE, Donnaregina Contemporary Art Museum, the project is embedded in unique surroundings: Pompeii. A symbol of destruction and rebirth, the archaeological site of Pompeii is the embodiment of a work in progress undergoing an incessant transformation, between ruins and discoveries, natural materials and past and present cultural objects, all of them setting forth the values and the history of a community.

The design of the technical installation was entrusted to international design firm Mario Cucinella Architects: «I accepted gladly Alessandra Fini-Zarri’s invitation to contribute to this act of generosity, which sees the participation of major artists and the entire structure of Fondazione Seràgnoli, – points out architect Mario Cucinella – Pompeii is a unique place of extraordinary significance, and today more than ever it is an enormous challenge to be met in terms of the preservation and the enhancement of the archaeological heritage. Giving life to a contemporary art show is a message of continuity with the spirit of art that has spanned unscathed the centuries of our life. In its pragmatic simplicity, the exhibition emphasises the rhythm that Andrea Viliani, the curator, infused into this sequence of artworks of great beauty, donated by great artists. A touch of colour, Pompeii red, blends in with the rhythm of the white walls, engendering a linear itinerary that looks onto the garden of the Palestra Grande (the Large Gymnasium). Two oases will welcome the visitors, where they will be able to enjoy a break while admiring the works on display».

The 36 works of art, donated by Italian and international artists and making up doutdo’s 2019 collection, will be displayed in the halls of the north side Portico of the Gymnasium, across from the Amphitheatre, in the archaeological site of Pompeii.

The morals of individuals: the doutdo community

This edition of doutdo brings together in a single large community a variety of subjects: from the mentors Alessandro Mendini (in memoriam) and Philip Rylands, to the project’s Artistic and Scientific Committee, from the artists to the many enterprises and the institutions that have adhered to the philosophy of the biennial.

33 artists donated their works with a significant gesture of sharing, and their works will be on display in Pompeii: Meris Angioletti, Elisabetta Benassi, Eduardo Cardozo, Loris Cecchini, Fabrizio Cotognini, Cuoghi Corsello, Dado, Alberto Di Fabio, Roberto Fassone, Flavio Favelli, Giovanni Gastel, Mimmo Jodice, Julia Krahn, Andrew Leslie, Alessandro Mendini, Fulvia Mendini, Marzia Migliora, Nino Migliori, Maurizio Nannucci, Moataz Nasr, Katja Noppes, Giovanni Ozzola, Simone Pellegrini, Gianni Pettena, Thomas Ruff, Pietro Ruffo, Sissi, Alessandra Spranzi, Alberto Tadiello, Joe Tilson, Patrick Tuttofuoco, Carlo Valsecchi, Nanda Vigo.

Info box:

• Where: Pompeii | Pompeii Excavations, Palestra Grande
• When: from 15 June to 1 December 2019
• Event: “La morale dei singoli” (The morals of individuals) 33 highly prestigious, Italian and international artists interpret with their works the theme of individual responsibility, bearing testimony to the power that individuals can yield when they connect with others, generating a collective awareness of responsibility to their community.
• Gender: 36 works of contemporary art
• Curator: Andrea Viliani, Director of MADRE – Donnaregina Contemporary Art Museum
• Installations: Mario Cucinella Architects

Access to the exhibition is included in the price of the ticket to the archaeological site.