UNA is happy to announce “Hey there, Tiger!” the first solo show by Irene Fenara (*1990, Bologna) in the gallery.
For this occasion, Irene presents a new project, reflecting on the parallelism between the natural world and the production of images. The artist's research originates from the observation that in the world there are more images representing tigers than real ones. In our imagery, these felines are very common and seem to be everywhere: in the logos of fashion houses, on cereal boxes, on t-shirts.... However, just three thousand tigers are left in the wild. Working with a generative algorithm, “fed” with three thousand images of tigers, Irene has created big new animals and new species that ultimately retain only some characteristics of the original animal. In fact, a generative algorithm requires millions of images in order to learn how to recognize and reproduce them; thus proposing a smaller number, results will be far from the reality.
The generated images have been in turn transformed into tapestries made in India, underling the parallelism between the braiding technique typical of weaving and the binary code the algorithm is based upon.
Alongside the tapestries, the exhibition presents black and almost disturbing pictures of tigers in night landscape, they are images “stolen” from cameras trap, which are triggered by animals' movement in forests and jungles.
“Irene Fenara's project discloses the nature of a feline star, that is blinded by digital spotlights thus becoming a ghostly presence. Deprived of its recognisable image – its changing form placed between now and elsewhere – as it appears in its rarefied character it loses its consistency, while simultaneously it reaffirms itself. […] Through tapestries with vibrant colours and black and white photographs, Three Thousand Tigers seems to suggest the need - nowadays a latent one - of an as-inclusive-as-possible integration of digital data into our natural condition. “What a pity not to be a tiger” fantasises Argentinian writer Jorge Luis Borges during an afternoon conversation with Alberto Manguel, colleague and author of the memoir With Borges.
Like in a dream, we don’t see the real tiger anymore, but we can feel the bodily presence it has left us.” (Irene Sofia Comi)
Exhibition: February 20 2021 – May 15 2021
Opening hours: Tuesday - Friday 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm and Saturday 10:00 am – 1:00 pm & 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm + by appointment
Reservation is recommended
On the occasione of the exhibition, a booklet will be published with a curatorial text by Irene Sofia Comi.
register
log in
.jpg)
