Bruno Catalano
Genova

Thanks to the partnership with Ravagnan Gallery, the City of Genoa, the City of Alassio, and the Liguria Region, The “Travelers” by Bruno Catalano arrive in Genoa with the open-air exhibition "La Metafora Del Viaggio”.

The exhibition winds through the most evocative locations of the city of Genoa, from the Historic Center to the Old Port, anticipating the arrival in Alassio of two more sculptures by master Bruno Catalano.

The works "Benoît", "Hubert", "Khadine", "Pierre David Triptyque", and "Simone" will be exhibited in Piazza Raffaele De Ferrari, Corso Italia, Brignole Station, and at the Old Port from May 9th to October 31st, 2024, while two other sculptures, "Blue de Chine" and "Non Finito", will be placed at the entrance of Molo Bestoso in Alassio from June 1st to October 31st, 2024.

"Bruno Catalano's works transport us on an exciting journey through the boundaries of identity and belonging," says the mayor of Genoa- His evocative sculptures, with their partial figures, invite us to reflect on the universal theme of the search for a sense of wholeness in a world in constant motion. This exhibition not only enriches the cultural landscape of our city, but also embodies Genoa's spirit of openness to art. I invite all citizens to immerse themselves in this extraordinary experience and be carried away by the emotions and reflections aroused by Bruno Catalano's works."

"The visionary art of Bruno Catalano draws the boundaries between two dimensions such as art and travel, themes very dear to the history of the City of Alassio- comments the mayor of Alassio- We are proud to host as part of the sixth edition of Ligyes_Alassio_Genova Cultura Fest two of his installations on the Molo Bestoso that will be visible from June 1 to October 31, 2024. This preview of his works in Genoa strengthens the ties between our cities and creates a bridge of common purpose that is sustained on values such as culture and freedom."

The Travelers by Bruno Catalano
"The Travelers" by Bruno Catalano are characters immortalized in sculpture in the midst of a long journey, the duration, origin, and destination of which remain unknown to us. In his work, these men and women taken from everyday life take on a heroic dimension and become symbols of continuity and transformation. With their monumental stature, they explore and narrate the universal themes of human existence: identity, migration, and the journey itself. These individuals carry within their luggage fragments of life and history. Their destiny is inevitably linked to their roots, keeping them in a precarious balance between the past and the future. Bruno Catalano represents human beings, suspended figures traveling, crossed by light, wind, and gaze. Incomplete bodies where the missing parts become windows in which to recognize oneself, metaphors of movement and connection with the journey of life.

Simone
With "Simone," Bruno Catalano has created a full-figure portrait of a young Venetian whose appearance, beyond the characteristic laceration of the entire series of Travelers, evokes the taste of Italian elegance. He wears a suit with a tie, and his silhouette conveys the image of elaborate sobriety. From these gray-toned clothes emerge two touches of bright bronze: one is the character's hand carrying his large leather bag, and the other is his face. With a serene expression, his gaze extends far into the future, with confidence and determination.

Khadine
The man depicted here is a recurring character in the Travelers series, a friend and model of Bruno Catalano. "Khadine" advances with a calm and confident stride, suitcase in hand. From above, he seems to gaze upon a distant and indiscernible horizon for us. This Senegalese man's journey, divided between two countries and two continents, parallels the issue of the African diaspora, his past, and his legacy in a globalized world.

Hubert
Standing, waiting, "Hubert" has been immortalized in a moment of absence where his spirit seems to wander elsewhere. Clad only in a pair of jeans, bare torso and feet, he is a humble traveler, content to go with the flow of things. The blue of his pants contrasts with his bronze, shiny, and rough skin, exposed to the sun and the elements. Despite the void left, the body hints at a worthy chiasmus of Greco-Roman statuary, while a casually slipped hand in his pocket conveys all the disdain and carefreeness of youth.

Benoît
At the origin of each of the Travelers, Bruno Catalano sees in his subjects, men or women, a glimmer of inspiration: a look, an expression, a stature, a detail. He finds in them the strength, originality, and humanity of a work of art. Such is the case with "Benoît," a collaborator and friend of Bruno Catalano. His appearance and expression evoke mythological figures of antiquity, like an anachronistic presence strangely tied to the frenetic rhythms of the present.

Pierre David Triptyque
Traces of a journey that is simultaneously mobile and immobile. Because the Traveler is not only one who has left everything for a dream and elsewhere. It is also one who, with suitcase in hand, in his upright and dignified posture, represents each of us. It is with this idea that Bruno Catalano created "Pierre David Triptyque," a clear metaphor of our human condition. Whatever our itinerary, here is what will remain of us, ephemeral travelers on this Earth: some traces of worn-out, derisory matter. A pair of shoes, a suitcase, symbols of the legacy of every human being after their passage. In the maturity of his work, the artist increasingly shows the passage of time; with "Pierre David Triptyque," he proposes a raw and eloquent emblem of our mortality, of our being simple travelers of life.

For further details about the exhibition, visit https://www.museidigenova.it/en/la-metafora-del-viaggio