From 25 June, Castel Nuovo will be hosting "Il Cono d'Ombra", a project by Black Tarantella (Naples) and the FM Centre for Contemporary Art (Milan), with the patronage of the City of Naples. The exhibition, curated by Marco Scotini, explores two spaces in Castel Nuovo that were part of the Second International Exhibition of Colonial Art in Naples from 1934 to 1935.
"Il Cono d'Ombra" seeks to rethink the Italian colonial experience in a changing socio-political context, drawing on more experimental conceptual categories. The exhibition highlights often neglected aspects of Italy's colonial legacy and provides a platform for African artists working on postcolonial issues.
The initiative aims to fill gaps in our understanding of colonial history and give a voice to those who have long been marginalised. "Il Cono d'Ombra" proposes a reflection on the authority that names, classifies and sometimes stifles histories other than those of the West.
Castel Nuovo-Maschio Angioino, Naples
Curated by Marco Scotini, an Italian curator, writer and art critic based in Milan, who is artistic director of the FM Centre for Contemporary Art and head of the Visual Arts and Curatorial Studies Department at NABA.
Internationally renowned artists from various geographical regions and belonging to the contemporary African diaspora have been invited to participate. They include Kader Attia (Algeria/France, 1970), Yto Barrada (Morocco, 1971), Intissar Belaid (Tunisia, 1984), Nidhal Chamekh (Tunisia, 1985), Jermay Michael Gabriel (Ethiopia/Eritrea/Italy, 1997), Kiluanji Kia Henda (Angola, 1979), Delio Jasse (Angola, 1980), Ibrahim Mahama (Ghana, 1987), Muna Mussie (Eritrea/Italy, 1978), Pamina Sebastião (South Africa, 1988), Pascale Marthine Tayou (Cameroon, 1967) and Amina Zoubir (Algeria, 1983).
The exhibition is dedicated to Lidia Curti (1932-2021), co-founder of the Centre for Postcolonial and Gender Studies in Naples.
