Kasia Fudakowski – ChertLüdde Gallery
Why is an exhibition introducing itself to the press and the public with a motto, and one taken from a poem on top of that? The line “Hold everything dear” is not the title of miart nor is it its theme. A trade fair is not an art exhibition. It is rather the expression of the diversity and complexity of the art market in all its forms. A total of 185 projects promoted by art galleries from 19 countries are an equal number of stories to be told in just four days. Three days of talks open to the public and six prizes and acquisition trusts which will bring over 60 museum curators and directors, designers, artists and writers to the city from 18 countries. A myriad of exhibitions and performances which will invade the city thanks to the public and private institutions and no-profit venues that organise the Milan Art Week. Numbers like these are often found in the communications of trade fairs, and so we asked ourselves what art really needs in these chaotic yet fertile times. And the answer is attention.
Art has the power to transform even the humblest of realities because artists observe it through privileged eyes and as spectators we make their token of attention our own, perhaps becoming more aware and being able to leave a mark on reality ourselves.
This is the reason for the invitation to “hold everything dear” and to pay tribute to the work that the artists and art galleries present at miart have developed over the year in preparation for the exhibition. Because they are the real protagonists of miart.
The point is not to ask ourselves to what extent the art of our times can change our reality but rather to ponder to how it can make us active spectators of our age, accepting comparison and experimentation next to consolidation of the historical values. Milan is the location of this adventure because miart reflects the freer spirit of the city, its international vocation and its openness to inclusion and diversity.
Alessandro Rabottini
Artistic Director miart 2019