ItalyUpdate

ENEL, Italys largest electrical company and the second largest in Europe is set to launch the second edition of ENEL CONTEMPORANEA, a major exhibition of  contemporary works of art on the theme of energy.  

The 2008 edition presents three international artists creating three separate installations  in Rome and Venice. The first, entitled assume vivid astro focus and inaugurated on the 4 th July among the temple ruins of Torre Argentina square in the heart of Rome, will run until the 3 rd September 2008. 12, the second in the programme, will be on show in Venice from the 13 th September till the 12 th December as part of the 11 th International Biennial Architecture Exhibition. The third, featuring Jeffrey Inaba, is scheduled from the 29 th October till the 28 th January 2009 and will be set in the unusual venue of Romes monumental Policlinico Umberto 1 hospital.

Previous editions sponsored by ENEL included the 2007 lunar eclipse (title: Repeat Refrain) by English artist Angela Bulloch staged over the ancient Roman Ara Pacis (Altar of Peace constructed by Augustus), an interactive water fountain by Danish artist Jeppe Hein (Hexagonal Water Pavilion) in the former working class Garbatella district (now one of Romes most desirable residential quarters) and Patrick Tuttofuocos large installation-cum-building site (Future City) in Romes Piazza del Popolo square..

ENEL CONTEMPORANEA is curated by Francesco Bonami, curator of the 2003 Venice Biennale and currently Senior Curator of the Museum of Contemporary Art of Chicago.