Atlas at Fondazione Prada... (Part I)

11:45 p.m.

18/06/18 - When a private collection becomes public, it no longer belongs to the collector and opens itself to new interactions and points of view. This process offers a challenge to both parts: for collectors, it means that their secrets are unveiled as they gain social recognition. For the rest of us, it offers an opportunity not only to participate, but to admire and, why not, criticize.

Miuccia Prada is carrying out this process with her fondation in Milano and, precisely in the newly inaugurated building of its headquarters, she is presenting “Atlas”, just a token of her vast collection curated by Germano Celant. The Tower, name given to this new white construction in iron and glass, has 9 floors and as you go up, the height of the ceiling increases. The use of the stairs is highly recommended, so confortable shoes are mandatory, and, after the security check (no bags or backpacks allowed), the tour begins.

The first floor is rectangular and it opens to Jeff Koons’ tulips, lying on a platform, facing the artworks by Carla Accardi. One of the challenges of the curatorship was to display radically diverse artworks in one same space. In this case, an artist blessed by the market (Koons) mingles with the pieces of the 60s and 70s by Accardi. The conjunction between geometry and ‘arte povera’ (something Prada understands very much) in Carla’s art resonates against the excess of Koons’ sculpture. The colors and reflections of both artists seem in tune, although Koons’ technological production contrasts Accardi’s craftsmanship. It’s a good start to rouse our senses and encourage us to keep climbing.

Tulips, by Jeff Koons (1995-2004)

Painted stainless steel

Rossonero, by Carla Accardi (1967)

Varnish on sicofoil

Grande transparente, by Carla Accardi (1976)

Sicofoil in wooden frame

On the third floor, a solo exhibition by Walter De María: three identical Chevrolet cars from the 50s occupy the entire space. Meticulously restored and shiny red, they were considered a blank canvas by the artist. Thus, from windshield to rear window, going through the inside and above the seats, all three cars are “stabbed” by a stainless steel bar. Each one of these bars are geometrically different (circular, triangular and squared), shapes that can be found constantly in De María’s work.