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Cecilia De Nisco and Chiara Enzo: Parallel protago...

Cecilia De Nisco and Chiara Enzo: Parallel protagonists at the Sandra and Giancarlo Bonollo Foundation

“Stavo cercando il tuo cuore lì dentro ma ho trovato solo latte”, a solo exhibition by Cecilia De Nisco curated by Marta Papini, and “Chiara Enzo. Fragments of Reality”, curated by Chiara Nuzzi, are on display in the spaces of the former Church of the Dimesse complex in Thiene until March 1st. Two exhibitions conceived independently but experienced seamlessly: an open invitation to freely explore contemporary art. What characterizes the exhibition project of the Bonollo Foundation is the juxtaposition of two independently conceived shows into a continuous viewing experience. This approach stems from both practical and identity-driven necessities: on the one hand, it pursues the intentions of a couple of collectors who have been dedicated to contemporary art for over thirty years; on the other hand, it considers the particularity of the exhibition spaces, which are strongly defined. Since June 2024, the cultural scene of Thiene has been enlivened by a diverse, internationally oriented program that offers public access to artworks from the Bonollo, entrusted to Chiara Nuzzi’s curatorship, alongside the promotion of emerging artistic talents curated by Marta Papini.

Cecilia De Nisco, “Slacciami la vita”, 2024, ph. courtesy the Artist e Fondazione Sandra e Giancarlo Bonollo

Cecilia De Nisco, “Slacciami la vita”, 2024, ph. courtesy the Artist e Fondazione Sandra e Giancarlo Bonollo

The exhibition dedicated to Cecilia De Nisco features seven oil paintings on canvas specifically designed for this exhibition space. The artist maintains a consistent formal style, based on a blurred contrast between a vibrant blue background and flickering figures, illuminated as if by a hearth, emerging from the shadows. Ambiguity and vagueness are recurring characteristics in De Nisco’s work, and in Thiene, they manifest both in the spatial-temporal settings and in the meaning of the artworks. While the soft brushstrokes and dynamic compositions suggest a childlike world of curiosity and dancing around a bonfire, the nudity of the characters, their ambiguous poses, nocturnal atmosphere, and grinning expressions shift everything onto an uncertain terrain imbued with unease, exemplified by the large canvas that gives the exhibition its title: “Stavo cercando il tuo cuore lì dentro ma ho trovato solo latte” (2024). The power of De Nisco’s works lies in their ability to project, in the viewer’s perception, the sense of discomfort expressed by the characters. This is achieved by subtly questioning the interpretative automatisms ingrained in Western culture, a goal declared at the very beginning of the visit to the Dimesse complex with the work “Marameo” (2024), which opens the exhibition. The arched canvas fits perfectly into the space that once hosted the church’s altarpiece, presenting a composition reminiscent of a Deposition from the Cross and gestures recalling Saint Thomas, yet it is not intended to be a sacred artwork: it’s a mocking gesture. «It would be dishonest not to admit that, upon entering such a strongly characterized space as the church – empty and stripped – the first thought is to restore its altarpiece. A gesture meant to highlight, with a touch of irony and gentle provocation, these rituals of worship. Kyrie, Kyrie eleison!», the artist explained.

Cecilia De Nisco, “Stavo cercando il tuo cuore lì dentro ma ho trovato solo latte”, installation view at Fondazione Sandra e Giancarlo Bonollo, courtesy the Artist e Fondazione Sandra e Giancarlo Bonollo

Cecilia De Nisco, “Stavo cercando il tuo cuore lì dentro ma ho trovato solo latte”, installation view at Fondazione Sandra e Giancarlo Bonollo, courtesy the Artist e Fondazione Sandra e Giancarlo Bonollo

The dynamism and immersive dimension characterizing the two rooms hosting De Nisco’s canvases vanish when approaching the eleven works by Chiara Enzo presented in the exhibition “Fragments of Reality”. Scattered across a space rendered aseptic by their fragmented presence, these small images demand close observation, making the «primary necessity of establishing a prolonged, exhausting, and draining contact with the scrutinized object…» which guides the artist’s creation and also the viewer’s experience as they strive to comprehend and reconstruct these entirely realistic but partial copies of reality. What stands out in Enzo’s fragmentary frames intrigues from a narrative perspective. Questions arise in the viewer’s mind, such as: “Who are these subjects? How did the artist achieve such closeness to them? What expression should we imagine on J. (2021)’s face as he/she stretches his/her slender neck to the left?” The outcome of this close-range investigation is that the pastel-colored, delicate yet vibrant surfaces end up mesmerizing those who trace the compositional lines of these fragments of worlds. The unique texture created by layering different color shades on the paper’s grain conveys a hyper-realistic sensation of these epidermal fragments, making viewers almost hear the heartbeat that pushed blood through the veins glimpsed beneath the depicted pale skin. Thus, despite not knowing the represented subjects, viewers end up feeling their presence vividly, through associations with sensations experienced personally.

Chiara Enzo , “J.”, 2021, courtesy the Artist, ZERO..., Milan and Fondazione Sandra e Giancarlo Bonollo

Chiara Enzo , “J.”, 2021, courtesy the Artist, ZERO…, Milan and Fondazione Sandra e Giancarlo Bonollo

The uniqueness of the Bonollo Foundation’s exhibition route ensures that, during the visit, the approach to art is entirely reversed from one exhibition to the other: first, we are invited to partake in the rituals occurring in the misty atmospheres emanating from De Nisco’s large canvases, and then we find ourselves excluded, like voyeurs, from the familiar worlds spied upon through the keyholes provided by Enzo. This performative way of experiencing contemporary art benefits the viewer, granting absolute freedom in enjoying and engaging with the works in a comprehensive experience that leaves wide open the doors to countless unscripted dialogues between artworks and artists, enhancing their communicative value for all audience levels. If you are looking for an exceptional place to discover and rediscover contemporary art, don’t miss visiting the Sandra and Giancarlo Bonollo Foundation in Thiene and following its program.

Miriam Schirato

Info:

Chiara Enzo. Fragments of Reality
curated by Chiara Nuzzi
Cecilia De Nisco. Stavo cercando il tuo cuore lì dentro ma ho trovato solo latte
curated by Marta Papini
15/12/2025 – 01/03/2025
Fondazione Sandra e Giancarlo Bonollo per l’arte contemporanea
Via dell’Eva 1, Thiene, 36016 (VI) Vicenza
fondazionebonollo.com


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