From the faded images of history books, cave paintings will once again be admired in their most natural setting: the walls of a cave.
And what better location than the Castellana Caves to evoke the ancient caverns where, more than nine thousand years ago, humans entrusted painting with the task of passing down their culture, from hunting techniques to religious rituals?
It is called “Neo-Cave Painting”, the project through which Bolognese painter Andrea Benetti will bring back to life, from tonight until September 25, the mystery and allure of parietal art inside the Grave cave, which will host the exhibition.
Seven bas-reliefs on a plaster base, created on canvas and aged using natural substances such as henna, cocoa, and coffee, finished with oil colors.
All the artworks will be supported by self-standing structures and illuminated with a technology that gives the audience the sensation of experiencing a lighting that is both natural and evocative.
Furthermore, tonight, during the exhibition’s inauguration, two giant-sized works will be projected onto the two largest rock walls. The main subjects of the projection will be bison and horses, as a tribute to the renowned figures found in the world’s most famous cave paintings, those of Lascaux and Altamira.
The refinement of this exhibition is no coincidence: “Neo-Cave Painting” is, in fact, a true artistic Manifesto, which was presented at the 53rd Venice Biennale in 2009.