news

4 september 2008

popcorning, solo exhibition of massimo premuda

from September 4th to November 8th

The Triestine artist, Massimo Premuda, presents his most recent photographic work for the 4th edition of the international festival “triestèfotografia”, organized by the Cultural Association Juliet. The exhibition examines the possible relationships between guinea–pigs and popcorn. It investigates popcorn, interpreting it as an explosion of vitality and sexuality. It’s a well known fact that a kernel of corn, when heated, generates an internal pressure which increases to the point of creating a sudden, mini explosion, pushing the endosperm of the seed towards the exterior, which becomes that light, white foam which gives popcorn its classic look; to the contrary, the kernels which do not explode are called ”old maids”. Curiously, a particular habit of guinea-pigs of jumping to express happiness, satisfaction and sexual excitement is also called “popcorning.” These small rodents, in fact, make a sharp movement – they arch their backs and stretch out their paws, as if they’re about to buck – very similar to the reaction of kernels of corn when they’re heated. Hence the idea of the young artist, Premuda, of creating works which confront these two improbable and fascinating ambits, vegetable and animal, in his first important personal exhibition (curator: Vasja Nagy). In the exhibition in Trieste, which can be visited until the beginning of November, this unusual, “fantastical” pairing is explored through new works, photographic enlargements, video comments and bizarre and futuristic hypotheses for tenements for guinea-pigs in the form of “animal architecture”. curator: Vasja Nagy a production of L’Officina and Trieste Contemporanea with the participation of Casa dell’Arte of Trieste and the contribution of the Regione Autonoma Friuli Venezia Giulia opening: Thursday, September 4, at 6:30 p.m Studio Tommaseo Institute for the documentation and promotion of the arts open from Monday to Saturday, 5 – 8 p.m., free entry 34121 Trieste, via del Monte 2/1