Alex Urso
GRAND HOTEL EUROPA (part one)
Magacin gallery
Kraljevića Marka 4, Belgrade
17th – 22nd March 2019
Opening March 17, h. 19.00
In recent years Europe has been assisting to an alarming rise of far-right movements; nationalist and conservative parties have made significant electoral gains in many countries. GRAND HOTEL EUROPA wants to encourage a reflection on this topic.
The exhibition includes a selection of drawings and collages realized by the artist during the two weeks residency at the Center 424 of Belgrade. Each series of work explores the theme of the nationalistic feelings rise from a different perspective, with a particular focus on the refugee crisis and an homage to Stefan Zweig and his passionate idea of a united Europe.
The show aims to be meant as an overview of the ongoing process: GRAND HOTEL EUROPA will be continued by the artist during a forthcoming residency at the Baltic Gallery of Contemporary Art of Ustka, Poland.
Alex Urso’s residency project is kindly supported by the European Cultural Foundation and the Italian Cultural Institute of Belgrade; the exhibition is organized by the Center424 (BAIR) in collaboration with Proartorg and supported by Ministry of Culture of Serbia.
Alex Urso (b. 1987) is a multidisciplinary artist from Italy, graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts of Brera, Milan. He works predominantly in the medium of collage, assemblage and spacial installation. His works have been exhibited in public and private art spaces such as Estorick Collection (London), Casa Testori (Milan), Zacheta National Gallery of Warsaw – Project Room, BWA Katowice, Monopol Gallery (Warsaw), Institute of Italian Culture of Krakow, Entropia Gallery (Wroclaw), among others.
Together with his practice as a visual artist, Urso is as well engaged in curatorial projects and critical writing. As a curator, his activity is preeminently focused on the relation between Italian and Polish art. In 2017 he has been co-curator of the Biennale de La Biche. From 2015, is a contributor for the Italian magazine Artribune.
www.alexurso.com
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