《Ermenegildo Zegna @ ZegnART》

ZegnArt ~ a project by Ermenegildo Zegna dedicated to the art of our time and a platform for action in contemporary art. In collaboration with the MAXXI and with the support of the Centre for Sustainable Fashion, London College of Fashion, the company commissioned Lucy and Jorge Ortato create an installation conceived expressly for the space, which will be part of the new display of MAXXI Art Collection "Tridimensionale." The work will be exhibited to the public from March 22 to September 23, 2012.

The first special initiative by Ermenegildo Zegna within ZegnArt, a multifaceted and multi-year project in which they are committed to be in the forefront within the field of contemporary visual arts. “Fabulae Romanae” (Roman Tales) curated by Maria Luisa Frisa, is a complex installation dedicated to Rome and specifically designed for MAXXI. Almost like a narrative tale, shown through the new sculptural works created by the artists and the videoperformance that was held without an audience, the installation offers the museum, which is an icon of the contemporary city, a symbolic excursus along the traces of the artists’ research work: starting from the key theme of the tent-- “a nomadic form of shelter” as described by Maria Luisa Frisa -- and Refuge Wear, the small, portable“habitat” which combines in a single conceptual solution the physical, social, and symbolic functions of architecture and clothing, up to Spirits, the ethereal sentinels entrusted with the task of restoring the vital breath of the city and articulated through poetic verses by poet Mario Petrucci.

Lucy and Jorge Orta have collaborated together since the early Nineties. Through their work, which is heavily focused on the exploration of issues that emerge within contemporary society, they investigate the connections between individuals, communities and urban spaces through a complex dialogue of ethics and aesthetics, which aims to inspire a “re-action”on the part of the public. The encounter between the Ermenegildo Zegna Group and the Orta duo was inspired by the sharing of values: Lucy and Jorge Orta recognized the principals of ethics and sustainability within fashion that form the philosophy of the company and have always been part of the culture of Zegna. The continued research conducted by the artists concerning the materials used in their creations also played a relevant role: the installation was made with special innovative technical fabrics created by Zegna and chosen by the artists for their material and technological qualities, which represent a symbolic function of protection.

 With Fabulae Romanae the ZegnArt project, which encompasses a set of activities carried out by Zegna in the field of contemporary art, takes wing. Based on the concept of the company’s strong involvement in all phases - from conception to the realization- of the various initiatives, ZegnArt seeks to construct a truly virtuous circle around the concept of partnership, creating a meeting point between two seemingly distant worlds, that of business and that of culture.