FEDERICO SOLMI

THE BACCHANALIAN ONES

FedericoSolmiTheBacchanalianOnes

November2,2020–January9,2021

Videoinstallations,paintings,virtualreality,andaugmentedrealitybasedartworks.

Usinggameengines,motioncapture,digitalanimation,virtualandaugmentedrealitycombinedwithhisdrawingsandpaintings,Solmicreatessatiricalandclownishportrayalsofpoliticalleaders,colonialrulersandexplorersabsorbedinextravagantandderangedparties;pompous,imperiousparades;andtheatricalandcontrivedevents.

Inspiredbyancientmythology,modernmyth,andcontemporarycelebrityculture,Solmihasblendedtogetherhistoricalcharactersanddepictsthemasghoulish,self-indulgent,degeneratedevoteesofthecultsofBacchusandDionysusconcernedonlywiththeirownpowerandinfluence.Throughtheabsurdbehaviorofhischaracters,Solmiasksustoquestiontheirrelevanceandthedistortedhistoricalnarrative

thathasledtoaneraofmisinformation,corruption,andhypocrisy.

ThisexhibitionhasbeengenerouslyfundedbytheJosephRobertFoundation,withadditionalsupportfromtheNewJerseyStateCouncilontheArts.

WegreatlyappreciatetheassistanceandcontributionstothisprojectbyDr.ShreekanthMandayam,Professor,DepartmentofElectrical&ComputerEngineering,andGeorgeLacakes,DirectoroftheRowanVRCenterforhisconsultontheVR,anddesignrefinementanddigitalprintingofthe3-DVRheadsetmasks.

Also,thankstoWillCook,IRT,andAssociateProfessor,AmandaS.Almon,BiomedicalArt&Visualization,fortheirtechnicalconsultation.

AcatalogwillbeproducedforTheBacchanalianOneswithanessaybycelebratedauthorandartcriticEleanorHeartney.Ms.HeartneyisanindependentculturalcriticandauthorresidinginNewYorkCity.Currently,sheiscontributingeditorforArtinAmericaandArtPressandco-presidentoftheAmericanSectionoftheInternationalArtCriticsAssociation.ShehaswrittenformostmajorculturalpublicationsincludingArtnews,NewArtExaminer,the

WashingtonPost,Sculpture,andtheNewYorkTimes.SherecentlypublishedanewbookentitledDoomsdayDreams:TheApocalypticImaginationinContemporaryArt,whichincludesFedericoSolmi.

ThisprojectisaRowanUniversityArtGalleryproduction,curatedbyMarySalvante,GalleryDirector.

ABOUTTHEARTIST

Solmisaysofhiswork,“Ialwaysbelievedthatartcanbeusedasaneffectivetoolforsocialchange.Artformeit’savehicletofightinjustices,atooltospreadawarenessandindependentthinking.WithmyartworksIhopetoinspirepeopletodiscoverfacts,totrytodecoderealityfromfiction,historicaltruthfrompropaganda.OneofthegreatestdifficultiesIencounteredwhenImovedtoUnitedStatesin1999,wastodecipherAmericanhistory,itscontradictionsandinaccuraciesthatIoftenencounteredinmyresearchandreflections.Ihadalotoftroublesdistinguishingtherealityofhistoricalfacts,unequivocal,fromthegovernmentpropagandatoldinthebooks.IstronglybelievedthatonlyifIhadbeenabletounderstandtheoriginsofthisnation,initsroots,wouldIonedayunderstandthesocietyinwhichIhadchosentolive,andonlythusoneday,wouldIhavebeenabletohavemysay.”

FedericoSolmi(Italy,1973)isamulti-disciplinaryartistbasedinNewYork.In2009,SolmiwasawardedbytheGuggenheimFoundationofNewYorkwiththeJohnSimonGuggenheimMemorialFellowshipinthecategoryofVideo&Audio.His

workhasbeenincludedinseveralinternationalBiennials,including:OpenSpaces:AKansasCityArtsExperience(2018),theBeijingMediaArtBiennale(2016),FrankfurtB3BiennialoftheMovingimage(2017-2015),theFirstShenzhenAnimationBiennialinChina(2013),the54thVeniceBiennial(2011),andtheSITESantaFeBiennialinNewMexico(2010).From2016to2019FedericoSolmiwasvisitingProfessoratYaleUniversitySchoolofArtandYaleSchoolofDrama,NewHavenCT.

Solmihasseveralforthcomingmuseumsoloexhibitions,including;TheBlockMuseumofNorthwesternUniversity(2022),MorrisMuseum,Morristown,NewJersey(2021),TucsonMuseumofArt,TucsonArizona(2020),andupcominggroupexhibitionatSmithsonianNationalPortraitGallery.WashingtonDCandTheBlockMuseumofNorthwesternUniversity(2020).Mostrecently,Solmi’sworkwasfeaturedinTimesSquareNewYorkfortheMidnightmomentandinasoloexhibitionintheRonaldFeldmanGalleryboothatthe2019ArmoryShow(NY).FormoreinformationaboutFedericoSolmi’sworkvisit:https://www.federicosolmi.com

ARTWORKCHECKLIST

TheGreatDebauchery,2019Acrylicpaint,goldandsilverleaf,penandink,mixedmediaon3woodpanelswithshapedwoodrelief.72x240x3incheswithTheJubilantTricksters,2020ARExperience,XIXCenturycamerareplica,IPAD

Courtesy of Luis De Jesus, Los Angeles, Ronald Feldman Gallery, New York

InthescaleandsplendorofAmericanandEuropeanhistorypainting,TheGreatDebaucherybothpayshomageandsatiricallypokesfunatwhatnowhasbecomeastoicdisplayoffamousandinfamoushistoricalfiguresonhorseback,whileAmericanflagscompletelyengulfthespacearoundthem.Therushoffiguresandhorseswiththeirfacialgrimacesandwily,sharpenedteethareaggressivelycompressedontotheforegroundofthepictureplane.Withthisfrighteningandterrifying,quasi-comicalcavalcade,weareremindedthathistoryisnotalwaysglorious,dignified,norchivalrousasonemightthink.

TheBathhouse,2020 Acrylicpaint,mixedmedia,goldandsilverleafonPlexiglass,LEDscreens,videoloopmin(9:46sec),72x240x5inches.OriginalmusicbyKwangHoonHan

Courtesy of Luis De Jesus, Los Angeles, Ronald Feldman Gallery, New York

WorldleadershavegatheredintheluxuryofaRoman-villathemedmansionforanextravagantgalatocelebratetheirenduringglory.Pompouslydressedinsilksandarmors,theroyalguestsarewelcomedwithbottlesofchampagneandmartiniscocktailsastheyfileintoaspaceadornedwithantiquesculpturesandmosaicsaswellasthefinestexamplesofthecontemporaryartworld.Theyswaggerthroughthevilla,asglamorousasthegreatestpop-icons,deckedoutinrichestoastingtothenight,wettingthemarblefloorswithspilledchampagne.Asthenightprogresses,everyminuteofspectacleisaccuratelyplannedandhasbeenrecordedbyever-presentcamerasformoremomentousarchivesofhistory.Oncetheorchestrastartstoplay,fillingthebathhousewithmusic,theguestsdancetogether,immersedinanambianceofBacchanalianpleasure.Leadersbecomechildrenatplay;theyarenowenjoyingsplashingwaterateachotherandengaginginsimulatedwargames.Thenighteventisanescalationofcelebratoryspectacle.Fromaliveorchestra,tocircusperformances,thehighprofileguestsareimmersedinalavishpartycustomizedfortheireverlastingpleasure.

TheIndulgentFathers,2019Acrylicpaint,mixedmediaonPlexiglass,LEDscreen,videoloop(min3:51,sec),48x72x5inches.

CourtesyofLuisDeJesus,LosAngeles,RonaldFeldmanGallery,NewYork

Lostontheopenseas,abandofcharactersreminiscentofpilgrimsandfoundingfathers,havedescendedintoabizarredisplayofbacchanalianbehavior,entertainedbyeccentricmusiciansanddancers.Theseiconicfiguresblatantlycontradicttheirownstatusesastheincorruptiblenation-buildersknowntousinthetextbooks.

TheKindheartedDemagogues,2020

TheAmiableDeceivers,2020

TheAffectionateCharlatans,2020Acrylicpaint,goldleaf,silverleaf,penandink,andmixedmediaonwoodpanelwithshapedwoodrelief.

CourtesyofLuisDeJesus,LosAngeles,RonaldFeldmanGallery,NewYork

Assembledtogetherforapressconferenceinalush,tropicalsetting,theworld’smostinfamousidols,politicians,andconquistadorshavetakenthestagetoannouncetheirownhistoricallegacies.Triumphant,theystandbeforeus,presentedmorelikeA-listcelebritiesthanthehonorableleaderstheyareotherwisebelievedtobe.

TheMastermind,2018Oneofakindbook,madeandboundbyhand.Acrylicpaint,goldleaf,silverleaf,mixedmediaontarlatan,paper,andfoamcore.24x18x2inches(closed);24x36inches,(openpaintingspread)6boundpaintings

CourtesyofLuisDeJesus,LosAngeles,RonaldFeldmanGallery,NewYork

Aquasi-historytextbookinwhichtheconventionalstoryofthediscoveryofAmericaandsettlementbecomesanaccountoftheruthlesstheftofthelandfromitsoriginalinhabitants.

TheDreadfulOnes,2017VRExperience,VRsetOculusGowithHandPainted3Dprintedmasks

CourtesyofLuisDeJesus,LosAngeles,RonaldFeldmanGallery,NewYork

BelovedanddespisedleadersthroughouthistoryaccompanyPresidentDonaldTrumponanexorbitantlypatrioticandcarnival-esquelimousineparadetohisinauguralballattheWhiteHouse.GeneralRobertE.LeeandBenitoMussolinisitoneithersideofPresidentTrump,gentlywavingtotheadoringmassesandsmokingcigars.