Nadine in Panicale – Una Boccata d'Arte

Luis López-Chávez

Nadine in Panicale

curated by
Margherita Belaief

Panicale (PG), Umbria

Panicale is a picturesque medieval village which, with its 441 meters of altitude, offers a unique view of Lake Trasimeno.
Today as in the past it is a land open to art and culture, artists such as Masolino da Panicale, il Perugino have been welcomed here. The process that led the Cuban artist Luis López-Chávez to the realization of his intervention began even before his arrival in Panicale, via e-mail. Once on site he explored the places within the historic walls and in the countryside all around, through the interaction, listening and observation of the “characters” in the main square. The inhabitants become the characters of two videos Nadine in Panicale and Last Tape shot in different sets and moments.
Inside an ancient oil mill where l’Arca di Pan, a space for interdisciplinary languages of contemporary art and culture, alongside the videos there are two series of paintings that brings in this context a synthesis of the architecture and society from the Cuban island.

WHO IS NADINE? NADINE IS NOBODY. IT’S AN IMAGE FORGOTTEN IN A GARAGE IN PANICALE. I FOUND NADINE. BUT I STILL DON'T KNOW WHO SHE IS. SHE WAS THE FIRST WOMAN I HAD MET IN THIS PLACE. SEVERAL DAYS LOOKING AT HER, IMAGINING WHO SHE WAS, WHO IS SHE NOW, WHERE IS SHE. THEN NADINE, BEING THE FEMININE IMAGINARY FIGURE, HAS BEEN INCARNATE. BUT NOT EXACTLY LIKE IN THE POSTER I FOUND: BEAUTIFUL ANDHARMLESS. NOW SHE HAS ANOTHER FACE, ANOTHER BODY

Luis López-Chávez (Manzanillo, Cuba, 1988) graduated from the Professional Academy of Plastic Arts in Manzanillo in 2007 and from the Higher Institute of Art in Havana in 2013. In 2012, he received a scholarship for the Royal Institute of Art, Stockholm, Sweden. In his work, he has been conducting a research exercise on the development of plastic form and the frictions it generates when introduced into the logical space of the world as an affirmation. Based on these frictions with the socio-historical context, language or with art itself, he proposes a visuality contained between a conceptual methodology and an unconscious pulse, between a philosophical proposal and a poetic image. In 2015, he was invited to the 12th Havana Biennial, with the project Los síntomas del engaño exhibited at the National Museum of Fine Arts in Havana.
Among his main solo exhibitions are: El acto total, organizzata da Galleria Continua, presso l’Unión Nacional de Arquitectos e Ingenieros de la Construcción de Cuba (UNAICC) (2019); Las Contravenciones, El Apartamento, L’Avana (2019); Contra los poetas, Galería Servando, L’Avana (2017).

His work has been part of the following group exhibitions: Cómo está el agua e Diamante en bruto, Galleria Continua, Havana (2018); Ola Cuba, Lille 3000, Lille, Francia (2017); Soy Cuba, Palazzina dei Bagni Misteriosi-Teatro Franco Parenti, Milano, Italia (2017); Continua Spheres Ensemle, 104 (Cent Quatre), Parigi, Francia (2017); Cuba mi amor, Galleria Continua, Les Moulins, Francia (2017).

NADINE HAS HER OWN INTENTIONS! I DON’T KNOW HOW NADINE'S NEW FACE AND NEW BODY LOOK LIKE. I DON'T KNOW WHAT ARE HER INTEN-G TIONS. PERHAPS THE ONE WHO TOOK OVER THE FEMALE FIGURE HAS NEITHER FACE NOR BODY, AND EVERYTHING IS AN ILLUSION. BECAUSE THE IMAGE OF NADINE IS CAPTURED IN A POSTER OF THE 90S, 2D BUT THAT OF THIS NEW APPEARANCE ONLY SHOWS UP THROUGH BUREAUCRATIC MEANS. NADINE IS NOW A BUREAUCRAT. IT IS AN AMORPHOUS FORCE WITH DARK INTENTIONS, WITHOUT FACE AND BODY, INTENT ON RUINING MY STAY IN PANICALE

Panicale (PG)

Umbria

With about 5,000 inhabitants, Panicale located in the province of Perugia, has been part of the initiative Borghi più belli d’Italia since 2008 and since 2007, it has had The Bandiera arancione recognition of quality awarded by the Touring Club. It boasts a splendid view of Lake Trasimeno and its three islands and for this reason the village is defined as a “natural terrace” on the lake. Close to the border between Umbria and Tuscany, it has seen the birth and passing of many important people, including the proud leader Boldrino Paneri, the Old Master Pietro Vannucci known as Perugino and his illustrious pupil Raphael. It’s always been seen as a “prestigious place” that has inspired and continues to inspire artists, musicians, poets, composers, and actors from different countries. It’s a place of beauty and contemplation where the landscape that was painted five centuries ago by Perugino still seems tangible and intact. This area can be crossed at a slow pace, on horseback, by bike and also by taking advantage of the numerous wineries and companies that produce excellent oil and local produce such as green beans and various types of cereals. The patron saint San Michele Arcangelo gives its name to the beautiful Collegiate Church, which stands in the heart of the historic centre of the village. Panicale is also home to three Land Art works by Mauro Staccioli (Inverted arch, 1996) Beverly Pepper (Panicale Amphitheater, 2000-2021) and Virginio Ferrari (Crystals in formation, 2022).

Acknowledgments: Municipality of Panicale, Giselda Bruni, Sabrina Caciotto, Remo Ascanio, Compagnia del Sole L'Arca di Pan, Fratini Moto, Caffé della Piazza, DP Caffé, Bottega Marconi, Tabaccheria Sacco, Tommaso Broccoletti, Gary Belaief, the citizens of Panicale.