Effetto Natura

Fondazione Nicola Trussardi, Milan
Through January 13

Ranging from types of interest both documentary and scientific to expressions that are more visionary, from the idealistic interpretations of the Romantics to the temporal analyses of the Impressionists, nature has always fascinated artists, taking it as a primary source of inspiration and continuing to supply us with new visions. The artists on show seem to carry on in this tradition in light of transformations that our habitat is enduring due to unexpected technological developments.

The exhibition, in three distinct sections—Garden, Forest, View—groups together the four unique points of view of these geographically and culturally diverse young artists, who are nevertheless united by their interest in nature, whether bound by the aspects of process or by formal considerations.

In his first installation in 1991, Henrik Håkansson declared that he wanted to work with “the culture of nature,” and here he has recreated part of a tropical forest on stilt houses. The structure elevates the plants, supplied with an irrigation and humidification system, which are regarded from the same point of view that an insect might see it.

The work of Richard Woods, an expert in covering floors, walls, and ceilings with an adhesive plastic material to which he has applied industrial enamel paint, covers two distinct areas with an acid-green-colored synthetic surface on which he has superimposed a schema that artificially recreates natural effects, such as plants and flowers.

By means of slides and plans, Florian Hüttner showed the same physical space as it is changed by the seasons; it’s almost a personal lesson in meteorology applied to a single terrain.

Exploiting the striking contrast between black and white, and with a certain cartoon-like spirit, Paul Morrison created a mural with various botanical motifs that he blows up, thereby deforming both nature and its effect.




Daniele Perra
Translation by Amanda Coulson