EXPRESSIONS OF INTIMACY 2024

This year's exhibition by the Associazione degli Artisti della Provincia di Bolzano (Bolzano Provincial Artists' Association) at the City Gallery is entitled “Expressions of Interiority”. After several years in which the annual exhibition has offered unusual, experimental food for thought, the programme now features a seemingly more traditional theme, the portrait, which is understood here as an expression of inwardness and thus demands an introspection that, from time to time, stems from the soul, the consciousness, the spirit and finally advances to the unconscious and its split. In this light, the theme can appear very complex and can easily run the risk of drifting into banality. However, thanks to their expertise, the exhibiting artists manage to deliver completely unconventional interpretations. Portrait art, which emerged in the early Renaissance, was very popular for centuries and still offers important insights into the many facets of human diversity today. The anthropocentrism of the Renaissance led to an increase in the importance of the portrayed person, which became just as widespread as religious subjects. The self-portrait soon became a common practice. With it, the artists put themselves in the picture, thereby recognising, reflecting and analysing themselves. The participating artists have submitted very different works, both in terms of painting technique and interpretation, and their originality is sure to attract great interest.