TIMELESS ENCOUNTERS | AEVUM

MUSEO ETRUSCO GUARNACCI | ARCHEOLOGICAL ARTEFACTS
AKIKO HIRAI | CERAMICS
ELEANOR HERBOSCH | PAINTING

PALAZZO DEI PRIORI, VOLTERRA
8 JULY - 4 SEPTEMBER 2022
10 AM - 7 PM, EVERY DAY, FREE ENTRANCE

On the occasion of the opening of the newly restored galleries of the Guarnacci Etruscan Museum this summer, Anima Silvae Association, Musei Volterra and KALPA Art living present AEVUM, an aesthetic encounter between contemporary and ancient art, the first chapter of the three-annual TIMELESS ENCOUNTERS exhibition project. The installation, curated by Eleonora Raspi for KALPA, juxtaposes objects from the Museum's permanent collection and works by contemporary artists Akiko Hirai (Japan/UK) and Eleanor Herbosch (Belgium).

The Museum’s three unique artefacts establish an unexpected dialogue with the artworks of the two contemporary artists selected and represented by KALPA. The vivid, scratched marks made in oil, acrylic and clay of Herbosch's paintings, reminiscent of mysterious hieroglyphics, create a connection with the same emotional charge of Etruscan writing. Next to these pieces, Hirai’s ceramic sculptures represent an exploration of contrast, of the combination of coarse clay and translucent glaze.

ETRUSCAN MASTERS

For the AEVUM exhibition, Guarnacci Etruscan Museum presents three artefacts concerned with the fascinating Etruscan underworld, a true and profound cult of the deceased who, according to their religion, are destined to live eternally even after physical death. 

Upon entering the exhibition room in Palazzo dei Priori, the visitor is greeted by a 4th-3rd century B.C travertine funerary marker with a very peculiar shape and an obscure text inscription. A few steps aways, as evidence of a complex burial ceremony, there is a 6th century BC impasto ceramic cinerary vase, featuring a simple decoration and a cangiante colour. 

Finally, a magnificent alabaster cinerary urn from the 2nd century B.C. concludes the itinerary: the feminine, ethereal, delicate but austere depiction on the lid contrasts with the essentiality and purely masculine world of the container, whose figures, bearing the marks of time, have hidden features but which are still extremely expressive.

CONTEMPORARY ARTISTS

AKIKO HIRAI: “I THINK MY WORK IS A RESPONSE TO HUMAN SENSES”

London based Japanese artist Akiko Hirai believes that everything is interconnected in her ceramic work: language, thoughts, feelings and the viewer’s gaze all come together in the everyday interactions of our lives. Her skillful manipulation of the raw material is exposed to the alchemy of the kiln, ensuring that every piece is unique and celebrates imperfection and chance. At the core of Akiko’s practice is the traditional Korean Kohiki pottery, featuring a slightly porous surface and a soft-white colour, as well as Japanese ceramic aesthetics with elements of imperfection and incompleteness.

ELEANOR HERBOSCH: "MATERIALITY IS CRUCIAL IN MY WORK" 

Eleanor Herbosch’s adopted means of expression are ceramics and painting which are united by a common denominator: earth, her material of choice. Graduated from Central Saint Martins of London, Eleanor aims at creating an enhanced visual experience that’s a pure pleasure for the senses. The techniques of painting and ceramic work harmoniously together in their calm, Asian-infused realm, drawing upon diverse spiritual practices that emphasise clearing the mind and directing attention into a heightened awareness of the present, past and future.

Palazzo dei Priori, Volterra, the oldest Town Hall in Tuscany

TIMELESS ENCOUNTERS | AEVUM

CREATED & ORGANISED BY:

SPONSORED BY:

Located in Gonzaga (Mantua), MATTEOBRIONI is dedicated to interior and product design based on the use of raw clay. This particular material is the result of a meticulous pre-selection of clays and aggregates originating from various territories and blended together to obtain chromatic, tactile and functional qualities.

Based in Saline di Volterra (Tuscany), Altair Chimica SpA is a key player in supporting culture in the territory of Volterra and Valdicecina. The company manufactures chimical products, paying the utmost attention to environmental sustainability and investing directly in self-production energy.

SUPPORT & PATRONAGE:

KALPA INSTAGRAM