Roberto Cuoghi Selected Press Galerie Chantal Crousel Seungduk Kim.«Artgénétiquementmodifié

Galerie Chantal Crousel Roberto Cuoghi Selected Press Galerie Chantal Crousel Seungduk Kim.«Artgénétiquementmodifié. Roberto Cuoghiàl’oeuvre.», L’Officiel Art , n°17,March-April- May 2016,pp.136-143. Galerie Chantal Crousel Seungduk Kim.«Artgénétiquementmodifié. Roberto Cuoghiàl’oeuvre.», L’Officiel Art , n°17,March-April- May 2016,pp.136-143. Galerie Chantal Crousel Seungduk Kim.«Artgénétiquementmodifié. Roberto Cuoghiàl’oeuvre.», L’Officiel Art , n°17,March-April- May 2016,pp.136-143. Galerie Chantal Crousel Seungduk Kim.«Artgénétiquementmodifié. Roberto Cuoghiàl’oeuvre.», L’Officiel Art , n°17,March-April- May 2016,pp.136-143. Galerie Chantal Crousel Seungduk Kim.«Artgénétiquementmodifié. Roberto Cuoghiàl’oeuvre.», L’Officiel Art , n°17,March-April- May 2016,pp.136-143. Galerie Chantal Crousel Seungduk Kim.«Artgénétiquementmodifié. Roberto Cuoghiàl’oeuvre.», L’Officiel Art , n°17,March-April- May 2016,pp.136-143. Galerie Chantal Crousel Seungduk Kim.«Artgénétiquementmodifié. Roberto Cuoghiàl’oeuvre.», L’Officiel Art , n°17,March-April- May 2016,pp.136-143. Galerie Chantal Crousel Seungduk Kim.«Artgénétiquementmodifié. Roberto Cuoghiàl’oeuvre.», L’Officiel Art , n°17,March-April- May 2016,pp.136-143. Galerie Chantal Crousel Seungduk Kim.«Artgénétiquementmodifié. Roberto Cuoghiàl’oeuvre.», L’Officiel Art , n°17,March-April- May 2016,pp.136-143. Galerie Chantal Crousel Seungduk Kim.«Artgénétiquementmodifié. Roberto Cuoghiàl’oeuvre.», L’Officiel Art , n°17,March-April- May 2016,pp.136-143. Galerie Chantal Crousel Seungduk Kim.«Artgénétiquementmodifié. Roberto Cuoghiàl’oeuvre.», L’Officiel Art , n°17,March-April- May 2016,pp.136-143. Galerie Chantal Crousel Antoine Diot.«Lesinvités», L’Officiel Art, n°17,March-April-May 2016,p.20. lRTIST'S fHINGS

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realizzali averdopo osservatorealizzali per giorni il monda ribaltalo

Roberto Cuoghi Roberto Cuoghi è uno dei piùinteressanti ed enigmatici

musei decisivi: New Museum musei New a Museum NY, decisivi: a Hammer Los Angeles

ginabile:l'esito notturno spedizione. una di Dai primi ten

poi poi Milano, Brera, leprime Biennali e oggi pcrsonali le nei

arlisti ModenaNascea italiani contemporanei. nel 1973,

nulla; aulorilratti nulla; infiniliaulorilratti dove non riconoscersiprove mai;

e moiti altri. Il suo lavoro muove dall'idca che sial'opera

una cornerivelazione e non-immasiae tale, che, inattesa d'invecchiamenlo artificiale; medicine corneartificiale; materiali d'invecchiamenlo per

per una raccontare sloria di e sparizione.diserzione (FG) allraverso prismiantichi agli esperimenti di- mutazione

corporca: unghie corporca: lunghissime quasi a non riuscire a toccare

trasformarsi inIl uomoun tempodinon sessant'anni. è

tativiautoindotli dialterazione disegni'della percezione -

nel suo lavoro sonoro

per per

corne pittura i suoni antichi delle genti e Assire, che qui,

unprincipio per carlesiano un autorecorne Cuoghi che,

Artist'sTlû11gs,

riscopre oggettitre perduti negli anni,

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giainista, un santo in terra, un originale originale col un santoinun terra, giainista,

le mandavano giù per superare la prova che si che provalasuperare per giù mandavano le

mento, si mettevano formiche sulla lingua e lingua sullaformichemettevano si mento, infine, una boccia persa, da tenere in soffitta dain tenere persa, boccia una infine,

erano inventati. Qualcuno di loro avrebbe poi avrebbe diloro Qualcuno inventati. erano

e buttar via la chiave. Nel 1991, al distret- 1991, Nel chiave. viala buttar e

to militare scrissero "turbe psichiche", mi psichiche", "turbe militare scrissero to

che si chiamava Cesare. lo ero un bambine bambine ero un lo Cesare. chiamava si che

infilato raudi nelle orecchie di un gatte nero nero un digatte nelle orecchie infilatoraudi suc carattere, uno da non frequentare e poi, epoi, non uno da frequentare carattere, suc

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militare. L'anno dope scappai dalla caserma caserma dalla scappai dope L'anno militare.

il cancello e presi iltrenopresiModena. per e primo cancello il

di Bologna, cioè chiesi alla guardia di aprirmi aprirmi di guardia alla chiesi cioè Bologna, di

chiesero di disegnare un albero ramificato:albero disegnare un chiesero di

ronte o di profile?" e fui spedito all'ospedale fui e profile?"dironteo

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Mi piacciono le divise, le armi e la guerra, poi guerra, la e learmi ledivise, piacciono Mi

non credo in Dio e non appartengo a nessun appartengonessun a non e Dio incredo non

àd ootrao o onet a obiettare. nientedaho non divolontariato, tà

cienze somatico-funzionali, non svolgo attivi svolgo non somatico-funzionali, cienze

tornare a Bologna per confessare: "non sono "non confessare: per a Bologna tornare

orfano di entrambi i genitori e non ho insuffi ho e genitori non entrambidi i orfano

partita iva, indirizzo, numero di telefono e in e ditelefono numero indirizzo, iva, partita

presentai con il nominative di una cardiologa, cardiologa, una di ilnominativecon presentai

due giorni avevo anche il ricettario». ricettario». il avevodueanche giorni

botino. Un giorno si presentarono carabinieri i si Un giorno presentarono botino.

al Palazzo di Giustizia c'era un timbrificio, mi mi un timbrificio, c'era di Giustizia Palazzo al

a casa e io non c'ero. Ero a Milano e vicino vicino e Milano a Ero c'ero. non io e casa a

era mai successo", mi disse il colonnello Sa colonnello dissemiil successo", mai era

L'esercito aveva perse un uomo. "Non priera "Non uomo. un perse L'esercitoaveva

gioniero, ma neanche autorizzato, difattinon autorizzato, neanche ma gioniero,

«Mano sui cuore, l'esercito mi chiese di mi l'esercitochiese cuore, sui «Mano

UN DOCUMENTO MILITARE. MILITARE. DOCUMENTO UN

DISERZIONE E TRASFORMAZIONE. TRASFORMAZIONE. E DISERZIONE «Roberto Design, n°3,March, Cuoghi»,Icon 2016,p.219.

COLUMN COLUMN

219 219

corso in Statale, ai regolari e ai figli di papà figliedi ai regolari ai Statale, incorso costavano dieci volte di più e la mia segreteriamia e la volte più costavanodi dieci

vano poco più di diecimila lire, mentre ai fuori mentreai lire, didiecimila più poco vano

dovevo essere rintracciabile entre ventiquatessererintracciabileentre dovevo

tro ore. Comprai una segreteria del segreteriatelefono.una del Comprai troore.

Con le mie ricette, gli psicoanaletticicosta gli ricette,miele Con

assistente sociale che non si è mai presentato; mai è nonsi assistenteche sociale

nico a disposizione, a Bari. Mi assegnarono un un assegnarono Mi Bari. a disposizione, a nico

diritto di espatrio, non avrei più avuto unpas avuto più avrei non diritto espatrio, di

saporto e rischiavo il carcere per disertori, l'u per carceredisertori, il rischiavo e saporto

ln attesa di un processo, non avrei più avuto avuto più avreinon processo, un di attesaln

re il mio turne per strisciare sotte gli ostacoli. ostacoli. glisotteperstrisciare ilturnemio re

esperienze astratte, non avrei saputo aspetta saputo nonavrei astratte,esperienze

Passai all'attenzione dell'arma dei Carabinieri. Carabinieri. deidell'arma all'attenzione Passai

ranza. Ero portato per le discipline basate lediscipline su basate portatoper Ero ranza.

io non l'avevo, esattamente corne loro non corne esattamente non l'avevo, io

vvn oiid heeel miaottempe lachiederemotivi diavevano

chiedeva un motive per la mia renitenza e renitenza mia perla un motive chiedeva

gruppo di opposizione". L'ufficio di leva mi L'ufficio levadi opposizione". di gruppo

,.;

ROBERT

diciannoveanni».

di mia madre, la quale ha prodotto una mia prodottouna ha quale la madre, miadi

falsificato la firma. Un reato che scopro doposcopro reato che Un firma. lafalsificato

dichiarazione e, senza troppo mestiere, ha mestiere, senzatroppo e, dichiarazione

studio e qualche raccomandata di convoca di raccomandata e qualche studio

che non ho mai scritto. È uno pseudo-epigrafo uno È scritto.maihonon che

di una lettera che ho lettera unache di

in lasain e aaiir,cèl copia la c'è Carabinieri, stazione dei alla zione

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frattempo ero invecchiato più del colonnello colonnello del invecchiatopiù ero frattempo

ne che ho chiesto a mia madre di lespedirmi madre di mia chiesto ho a chene

civile; rinnovai i documenti, anche perché nel nel perché anche i documenti, rinnovai civile;

carte, che vedo ora per la prima volta».primala per oravedochecarte,

lo scopro adesso perché è per quest'occasio perè perché loscopro adesso

Sabotino. L'esonero è a firma Guido Bertolaso, Guidofirma a è L'esonero Sabotino.

lampeggiava corne quellampeggiava Nel ricercato. un di la

2001 arrivà il congedo e l'esonero dal servizio servizio dal e ill'esonero 2001 congedo arrivà

CUOGHI

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,,- Galerie Chantal Crousel the esoteric—tanburand santoor—toabadmintonracketandtwigbrush thatsimplyfilledaneed.) and fillinginwhatevergapsarosewithhisown imagination. (Thewalllabellists73instruments,from ching Assyrian cultureandlanguage, creatingauthentichandmademusicalinstruments,writingmusic have beenperformedin Assyria around612B.C. To achievethiseffect, hespentseveralyearsresear- the fallofNineveh,ancient Assyrian capital—orascloseMr. Cuoghicouldcometowhatmight The “SuillakkuCorral”involvesasimilarlyidiosyncratic pursuitandsurrender. Itisachorallamentfor a mucholderman—andsucceededenoughtodevelop geriatrichealthproblems. he spentseveralyearsbecominghisfather—that is,dressingandmaintainingthesedentarylifestyleof completely in keeping with Mr. Cuoghi’s strange, obsessivesensibility. Starting in 1998,hismid-20s, The walltext—bestreadaftergoingthroughthepieceexplainseverything,whichturnsoutto be animation runamokseemsequallypertinent. Cuoghi isItalian,youmaylikentheexperiencetowatchingaFellinimovieblindfolded,butDisney like space. You’re inthemiddleofamadcorralpeople,creaturesandspirits.PerhapsbecauseMr. cries, anxioussqueaks,andgibberish,aswellrattlesgongs. The soundsswirlabout thecave- hair-raising noiseandmusic:Fragmentsofmelodies mixwithvariousdrums,bellsandpipes,mournful nearly pitch-blackchamberandanamazingvortexofirresistible,emotionallycharged ifnotslightly sing, and also something of an immersive brain teaser. You walk through a narrow hallway into a round, intimacy andfamiliarmusicalityofMr. Kjartansson’s, itisnonethelesspersonalandaurallyencompas- Roberto Cuoghi’s soundinstallationonthethirdfloortravelsdeep intohistory. Farfromthefamilial staff: GaryCarrion-Murayari,Margot Norton,JohannaBurtonandHelgaChristoffersen. Gioni, themuseum’s directorofexhibitions,theshowsreflectefforts ofthebulkitscuratorial Few confluencesofshowsinthisbuildinghaveworkedtogethersowell.OverseenbyMassimiliano in unexpectedways.Italsomitigatesthemuseum’s dark,awkwardlyproportionedgalleries. the manyrolessoundplaysincontemporaryartwhileallowingshowsto,well,amplifyoneanother involve sound.Oneisalmostnothingbut This loose,fluctuatingconnectionilluminatessomeof tics andsputtersand,occasionally, thetinklingof47smallbronzebells.Itssixcurrent exhibitionsall The NewMuseumisalivewiththesoundofmusic,aswelltalking,chanting,spitting,electronic ROBERTA SMITHMAY 22,2014 Aural Installations Take OverNewMuseum Sounds of All butSilence Roberta Smith. «Sounds of AllbutSilence. Aural InstallationsRoberta Take Smith.«Soundsof Over New York Museum»»,TheNew Times, http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/23/arts/design/aural-installations-take-over-new-museum.html?_r=2 May 22,2014. Galerie Chantal Crousel museum. “Suillakku Corral”isamongthebestworksofcontemporaryartcurrentlyonviewinaNew York anthropologist, musicologist,instrumentmaker, multitalentedmusicianand,finally, soundengineer. dings intoanensembleperformance.Insteadofbecominghisfather, hebecameanarchaeologist, Mr. Cuoghithenplayedandsangallthepartsofhiscorral—orchoraleassembled therecor- Roberta Smith. «Sounds of AllbutSilence. Aural InstallationsRoberta Take Smith.«Soundsof Over New York Museum»»,TheNew Times, http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/23/arts/design/aural-installations-take-over-new-museum.html?_r=2 By ByronSmithonPublishDateMay22,2014. A shortviewofMr. Cuoghi’s soundinstallation. May 22,2014. Galerie Chantal Crousel sculpture modeledafter microbial life-forms. 2008. Mostrecently, forthe55th Venice Biennale,hecreated Belinda(2013),amonumentallyscaled produced agargantuan reproduction ofasmalltalismanicstatuethemenacing demon-god Pazuzuin and devotion,Cuoghilater undertookatwo-yearstudyof Assyrian language andrituals,forwhichhe surreal alterationsofportraitsdeceasedrelatives. With asimilarcombinationofobsession,passion, mental approachinworkssuchas“Asincroni,” whichheusedoverlayingsheetsofacetatetocreate to resembleawhite-bearded,heavysetman,forty yearshissenior. Cuoghihascontinued thisexperi- adopted mannerismsaswelltheeatinganddressing patternsofaseniorcitizen,eventuallycoming his mostlegendaryproject,whenhedecidedtoliterally transformhimselfintoanoldman. The artist cal transformation.In1998,whilehewasstillin hismid-twenties,hebeganwhatisperhapsconsidered ture, andanimationtoconfrontthechallengesof self-representationaswellphysicalandpsychologi- morphosis, hybridity, andviolence.Inthepast,hehas usedmediumssuchaspainting,drawing,sculp- Roberto Cuoghi. Through anarrayofunconventionalmedia,Cuoghi’s projectsexploreideasofmeta- In May, theNewMuseumwillpresentfirstsolomuseum presentation inNew York ofthework artist himself. BC performedonacollectionofhandmadeinstrumentscarefullyresearched,built,andplayedby the version (2014),anambitioussoundpieceintheformofimaginedancient Assyrian lament from612 For hisexhibitioninthe Third FloorgalleriesoftheNewMuseum,CuoghipresentsŠuillakku–corral 04/30/14 -06/29/14 ROBERTO CUOGHI:ŠUILLAKKUCORRAL Courtesy theartistandMassimoDeCarlo,Milan/London Cover Image:RobertoCuoghi,Šuillakku–corralversion,2008–14.Soundinstallation. http://www.newmuseum.org/exhibitions/view/roberto-cuoghi «Roberto Cuoghi:Šuillakku Museum,April, New 2014. Corral», Galerie Chantal Crousel Special thankstoMassimoDeCarlo,Milan/London. J. McSweeneyandG.MillsPublicationFundat the NewMuseum. Emerging Artists Exhibition Fund.Supportfortheaccompanyingpublicationhasbeenprovidedby Support for“RobertoCuoghi:ŠuillakkuCorral” is madepossible,inpart,bythe Toby DevanLewis Sponsors Art, Athens (2007); and“OfMiceMen,”4thBerlinBiennial(2006). “Fractured Figure: Works from theDakisJoannouCollection,”DESTEFoundationforContemporary Museum ofContemporary Art, Chicago(2008–10);“AfterNature,”NewMuseum, York (2008); “Italics: Italian Art between Tradition andRevolution,1968-2008,”PalazzoGrassi, Venice, andthe Fondazione SandrettoReRebaudengo, Turin (2010);“Making Worlds,” 53rd Venice Biennale(2009); nale (2013);“10,000Lives,”GwangjuBiennial,SouthKorea(2010);“21artistsforthe21stcentury,” important internationalgroupexhibitions,including:“TheEncyclopedicPalace,”55th Venice Bien- l’Île de Vassivière, BaumontduLac,France(2007).Hisworkhasalsobeenincludedinanumberof (2008), theInstituteofContemporary Arts, London,andCentreInternationald’ArtetduPaysagede his workhavebeenpresentedattheHammerMuseum,Los Angeles (2011), CastellodiRivoli, Turin Roberto CuoghiwasborninModena,Italy, in1973,andlivesworksMilan.Soloexhibitionsof and newreflectionsonCuoghi’s practiceby AlisonGingerasand ThomasGrünfeld. The exhibitionwillbeaccompaniedbyafullyillustratedcataloguefeaturinganinterviewwiththe artist Margot Norton, Assistant Curator. The exhibitioniscuratedbyMassimilianoGioni, Associate DirectorandofExhibitions, “Roberto Cuoghi:ŠuillakkuCorral”willbeonviewthe Third Floorfrom April 30–June29,2014. imagination canhelptransformbothhistoryandreality. hand israised. As inmuchofCuoghi’s work,theinstallationexploreswaysinwhichpowerof “shoe-ee-lah-coo,” referstoapostureadoptedbytheancient Assyrians whenpraying,inwhichone heard initsentiretywhenvisitorsstandatthecenterofsoundinstallation. The title,pronounced himself. Eachinstrumentwasrecordedindividuallyandassembledintoacomposition,whichcanbe performed onacollectionofhandmadeinstrumentscarefullyresearched,built,andplayedbytheartist into ruin.Channelingthegriefandfearthatwerelikelyprevalentattime,Cuoghi’s lamentationis and 609BC,whenthe Assyrian Empireanditscapital,Nineveh,wasunderattackeventuallyfell BC. Forthispiece,Cuoghiembarkedonanimaginativejourneybackintimetotheperiodbetween612 immersive soundinstallationevokinganimaginedancient Assyrian lamentfromtheseventhcentury For hisexhibitionattheNewMuseum,CuoghiwillpresentŠuillakku–corralversion(2008–14),an http://www.newmuseum.org/exhibitions/view/roberto-cuoghi «Roberto Cuoghi:Šuillakku Museum,April, New 2014. Corral», Galerie Chantal Crousel Judicaël Lavrador. «Exorcismes», LesInrockuptibles, November 5,2014,p. 96. Galerie Chantal Crousel Ariella Budick. «Kjartansson/Henrot/Cuoghi, New Museum,New York -review», Financial Times, June 3,2014. Until June29,newmuseum.org site overload. Kjartansson, Cuoghihasfashionedaphantasmagoriaofsocialscienceandspirituality, aritualofexqui- flute withbronzecowbells,badmintonrackets,windblownleavesandMexicanbeans.LikeHenrot and ticity isnotthepoint:Cuoghisupplementssuchtraditionalinstrumentsastanburandbamboo built byhand. Although heimmersedhimselfinintensiveresearchintotheancientNearEast,authen- grief andfearofadyingcivilisationintosoundsmadebyanarmyinstruments,manywhich he the seventhcenturyBC,when Assyrian empirewasteeteringintoruin.Cuoghihaschannelledthe A textoutsidethischamberofdiscordexplainedthat“SuillakkuCorral”ismeantto evoke Ninevehin chorale. – allassaultedmeintheartificialnight,anuncannyforceofhundreds,joinedafranticanddesperate phony. Echoesofsongs,theviolentbeatingdrums,spasmodic shrieks,whistles,groans,lamentations into “SuillakkuCorral”,alightlessenclosurewhereIwasbombardedbyalmostunendurablecaco- Roberto Cuoghimaybethetrio’s ablestwizard. A guardwithatorchguidedmethroughblackcurtains power. liano Gioni,prosewitheredtoinsignificanceinatotalenvironmentofshamanisticbeautyandsensual that actuallyseeingitcanfeelsuperfluous.Butinthissynchedtrioofshows,orchestratedbyMassimi times terrifyingspectacle.Conceptualartsooftenboilsdowntoadenseparagraphofexplanatorytext installations themselves–allthoseoverlappingrainbowsofsoundandlight,thatsensualsome- dispiriting homeworkofreadingthisstuff, Iwasthoroughlyunpreparedforthevolcanicmagicof tansson, CamilleHenrotandRobertoCuoghitoaseriesofdesiccatedabstractions.Havingdonethe biage: threevolumes’ worthofinterviewsandinterpretationsthatreducedtheworkRagnarKjar- Before itslatesttripartiteblockbusteropened,theNewMuseumdispatchedanadvanceguardofver- June 3,2014 Ariella Budick Kjartansson/Henrot/Cuoghi, NewMuseum, York –review http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/2/debc8940-ea7f-11e3-8dde-00144feabdc0.html - Galerie Chantal Crousel culture. a markofsuccessforanartworkdealingnotonly withpersonalmortalitybutthedeathofanentire tors tofleeafterashorttime. Thediscomfortofthevisually andsonicallyintenseenvironmentseems thought wouldwardoff evil).Spooky, mysteriousandattimesabsurd,thesoundscausedsomevisi ged instrumentsandshouting,there'schanting abundantspitting(whichthe Assyrians apparently sion ifitwerereleased.) The audioisattimesstomach-rumblinglyloud. Along withpercussion, strin- loudspeakers, providingathree-dimensionalexperience. (Allthesame,Iwouldsnapupastereover festival oronanexperimentalradiostation.Inthe gallery, thesoundtraveledaroundroomviaeight To myears,theatonal(or, moreaccurately, microtonal)compositionmight beathomeanewmusic for balance. round roomthatthevisitorentersandexitsviashortpassageways,hangingontowallsall way posture, restingononekneewithhandraised,andforthepiece'sarchitecture,asmall,darkened disappearance oftheirculture.Šuillakku-corralversionisnamedforthe siege bytheBabyloniansfrom612-609b.c.e.;attackwouldleadto The 8-minutescore(2014)isanimaginedlamentforthefallencityofNineveh,whichcameunder along withhisownvoice. nation. ComposedbyCuoghi,thepiecefeaturessoundsoftheseinstruments,playedartist, ments, Cuoghihand-builtsome100ofthem,basingtheobjectspartlyonresearchandimagi to 600b.c.e. After consultingwithhistoriansandethnomusicologists about Assyrian musicalinstru the ancient Assyrian culture,whichflourishedinMesopotamiaalongtheriver Tigris fromaround1400 familial impersonation,dealswithdeclineanddemise.Forseveralyears,Cuoghihasbeenresearching a smallone—tonewversionofsoundartpiece,Šuillakku-corral(2008-14),which,like his In theartist'sfirstNew York museumsolo,theNewMuseumrecentlydevotedanentirefloor—albeit perception. father pieceisacommentondecay, thelenspiececouldserveasametaphorforwayartcanchange that hisbrainwouldeventuallyaccountfortheshiftandrightvisionagain.(Itdidn't.) While the In anotherpunishingventure,forfivedaysheworelensesthatflippedhissight180degrees,hoping weight, resultinginseriousmedicalproblems(alongwith,nodoubt,considerableFreudianconfusion). the olderman'soutfitsforsevenyears. To getdad'sclothestofit,Cuoghifilshadgainagreatdealof (b. 1973)resolvedtobecomehisfather. Dyeinghishairgrayandshavingsomeofitoff, hedressedin Roberto Cuoghidoesnotmessaround. When inhis20s,justoutofgraduateschool,theItalianartist Sept. 23,2014 Brian Boucher Roberto CuoghiatNewMuseum, York Brian Boucher. «Roberto Cuoghiat New Museum,New York», Art inAmerica,September 23,2014. http://www.artinamericamagazine.com/reviews/roberto-cuoghi/ Assyrian wordforaprayerful Assyrians' downfallandthe - - - - Galerie Chantal Crousel Brian Boucher. «Roberto Cuoghiat New Museum,New York», Art inAmerica,September 23,2014. New Museum. View oftheexhibition"RobertoCuoghi:ŠuillakkuCorral,"2014;at http://www.artinamericamagazine.com/reviews/roberto-cuoghi/ Galerie Chantal Crousel Roberto Cuoghi.«The tumoursetfree. DeIncontinentia»,MoussePublishing, 2013,pp. 14-18. Galerie Chantal Crousel Roberto Cuoghi.«The tumoursetfree. DeIncontinentia»,MoussePublishing, 2013,pp. 14-18. Galerie Chantal Crousel Roberto Cuoghi.«The tumoursetfree. DeIncontinentia»,MoussePublishing, 2013,pp. 14-18. Galerie Chantal Crousel Roberto Cuoghi.«The tumoursetfree. DeIncontinentia»,MoussePublishing, 2013,pp. 14-18. Galerie Chantal Crousel Roberto Cuoghi.«The tumoursetfree. DeIncontinentia»,MoussePublishing, 2013,pp. 14-18. Galerie Chantal Crousel Roberto Cuoghi.«The tumoursetfree. DeIncontinentia»,MoussePublishing, 2013,pp. 14-18. Galerie Chantal Crousel Roberto Cuoghi.«The tumoursetfree. DeIncontinentia»,MoussePublishing, 2013,pp. 14-18. Galerie Chantal Crousel Roberto Cuoghi.«The tumoursetfree. DeIncontinentia»,MoussePublishing, 2013,pp. 14-18. Galerie Chantal Crousel amulet preservedintheLouvre,Paris. Pazuzu, ofwhomtheartistcreatedastatuaryenlargement in2008,startingfrom thescanoforiginal The caricaturesuppositioncontinuesintheshow throughasortofridiculetheBabyloniangod a littleportraitonthebrandofcigarsthatartist usedtoattestnewhabitsofbehaviour. aged man.Definedasthetransfigurationintohis father, thereferenceimagehas,however, alwaysbeen cigars -aclarificationofthedecision,at24,todrastically changehisappearanceintothatofamiddle- of projection,admissibleorpitiless,self-congratulatory, liketheseriesthatreferstoabrandofcheap features takenoneatatimeandsealedinmore radicaldimension.Eachfaceisaresponseintheform traits. Possibleinflexionsoftheauthor, thoughtsandfantasiesonchoicesnotmadeorextensionsof The drawingsandpaintingsarepersonificationsthatdeliberatelydonotdeservethenameofself-por display intheformofparody. The intolerancetheartistfeels,onrebound,concerningmeaningsattributedtohisworkis on a strivingfordefinition,thedeceptionofappearancesandoverlappinginnerouter lives. guiding forceoftheartist’s thirdsoloshowatthegalleryiscaricatureofhiswork,resultingfrom On 30May2012,MassimoDeCarloopensRobertoCuoghi’s soloexhibitiontitledZOLOTO. The May 30—July13,2012 Milan —RobertoCuoghi ZOLOTO http://www.massimodecarlo.it/exhibitions/view/11455?lang=eng «Zoloto, Roberto Cuoghi»,MassimodeCarlo, May, 2012. - Galerie Chantal Crousel Linz, 2006;Polyphonix40,curatedbyManuela Corti, CentreGeor Aviv, 2007;BiennaleCuvée- World SelectionofContemporary Art, OKCentreforContemporary Art, Grassi, Venice, 2008;ItalianMentalscapes, curatedbyDemetrioPaparoni, Tel Aviv Museumof Art, Tel Italics: Arte Italianafra Tradizione eRivoluzione,1968-2008,curatedbyFrancescoBonami,Palazzo Selections fromtheDakisJoannouCollection,curatedbyJeff Koons,NewMuseum, York, 2010; 2011; 10000Lives,curatedbyMassimilianoGioni,GwangjuBiennale,Gwangju,2010;SkinFruit: sites likeSurrealversusSurrealismoenelartecontemporáneo,IVAM CentreJulioGonzales, Valencia, has takenpartinmanycollectiveexhibitionsatthemostimportantItalianandinternationalexhibition project room,GAMeCGalleriad’ArteModernaeContemporanea,Bergamo, 2003.RobertoCuoghi London, 2008;Foolish Things, curatedbyGiacintoDiPietrantonioand Alessandro Rabottini,Eldorado include: UCLA HammerMuseum,Los Angeles, 2011, ŠuillakkuatCastellodiRivoliandtheICA, Roberto CuoghiwasborninModena1973.HelivesandworksMilan. The mostrecentsoloshows challenge oftranscendenceappears,inallitsmadness. receptacle of177headsunifiedinaplasticgrid.Returningtotherootimaginationandfiguration, the properties ofthearticle-deceivedbyitsanatomyorstrategicallycounter reproductions arethusanimatedbythedesiretoperceiveaspiritwhichcannotbeassimilated God castinhimself,embarrassingitsfunctionofamulet,forcedoppositedirections,tocore. The The consequencesofdeactivatingtheoriginalquestionstartfromspecularmultiplication source, theartistoffers solutionsforhinderingtheincarnationofidol. By indicatingthedefect,whichhasstructured Western thoughtmoreforaccommodationthanrigour, at it credit,threateningtopunishchildrenfortheirfathers’ disobediencedowntothefourthgeneration. The jealousGodoftheRevelationdoesn’t denytheanimisticpreconception;oncontrary, hegives Prohibitions inaswirlingconflictofvalues. creating theirimages,doesn’t dootherthangivecredit totheprincipleitopposesthroughSacred sentation ofhim,isunderfire.Monotheism,basedontheprohibitionworshippingothergodsand The principleofimmanence,inwhichthespiritDevilpenetratessubstanceeveryrepre http://www.massimodecarlo.it/exhibitions/view/11455?lang=eng «Zoloto, Roberto Cuoghi»,MassimodeCarlo, May, 2012. ges Pompidou,Paris,2002. -pervasive materials,uptoa - Galerie Chantal Crousel http://www.massimodecarlo.it/exhibitions/view/11455?lang=eng «Zoloto, Roberto Cuoghi»,MassimodeCarlo, May, 2012. Galerie Chantal Crousel http://www.massimodecarlo.it/exhibitions/view/11455?lang=eng «Zoloto, Roberto Cuoghi»,MassimodeCarlo, May, 2012. Galerie Chantal Crousel http://www.massimodecarlo.it/exhibitions/view/11455?lang=eng «Zoloto, Roberto Cuoghi»,MassimodeCarlo, May, 2012. Galerie Chantal Crousel world throughthelensof kaleidoscopeglasses.Orhisseven-yearphysical andmentaltransformation— portraits andvideos(during histimeatMilan'sBrera Art Academy) basedonaweekofviewing his him onaseriesofhighly idiosyncraticexperimentsthatoftenmanifestas art. Today Cuoghidoesn'tclassifyhisopen-ended missionascontemporaryart,butthat meetinghasled Garutti, instead,lookedatmewithadmiration, and formethatwasenough. of Alberto Garutti.Myfingernailswere solongIcouldn't makeafist.Usuallypeoplewere horrified. had toaccompanythemchurch... Byaccident,oneday, followinganun,Ientered thepaintingcourse on theward fortwentyminutes. Therest ofthedayIhadtoentertainpatientswithstupidgamesor I didaninternshipatahospital,inthefemalepsychiatric ward. Itwassodepressing. Thedoctorswere This exploration,accordingtotheModena-born Cuoghi, startedinMilanthemid-1980s: Italian mixedmediaartist'sworkalmostexclusivelyexploresthepermeableboundariesofself. However criticsmightseektodefineRobertoCuoghi—from"livingsculpture"anecdotalpoet—the Jan. 18,2011 Michael Slenske Prohibition Recognizes Value: RobertoCuoghi http://www.artinamericamagazine.com/news-features/previews/roberto-cuoghi-hammer-museum/ Michael Slenske. «Prohibition Recognizes Value: Roberto Cuoghi»,Art inAmerica,January18,2011. CARLO COURTESY GALLERIA MASSIMODE ROBERTO CUOGHI,UNTITLED,2010. Take theseriesofpoems, Galerie Chantal Crousel joint problems,cardiovascular disturbancesandhypertension.Ihadtoremoved thesaphenousvein that. Ihaveathinbonestructure, soI'mnotmadetobeXXXL. CUOGHI: Iwreckedmymetabolismwhenbecame afatbeardedman.Icontinuetopaythepriceof other effects intheprocess? SLENSKE: You've saidyoufeltthehealtheffects ofaging yourself.Couldyouexplainthoseandany you couldglimpsealittleviewofBahia. picture isprintedonthe[Dannemann]cigarboxes becamemyrolemodel.Behindhim,asbackground, brand ofcheapcigars. That's because whenIdecidedtochangemyappearance,thatbeardedguywhose them. Iwouldhavetosmokecigars,ashedid.SomeportraitsattheHammerreferfounder ofa ghi's partner] Alessandra [Sofia].Stuckhere,Ithoughtaboutmyfather'sclothesandhowI'dwear with it,Ihadtodisappear. At thesametimeIwasfallinginlove,anddecidedtomovewith[Cuo- easy; itwasbecomingafull-timejob. To get awayfromallthat,andtogetridofthepeststhatcame could fillprescriptionordersforeverything.BeforelongIwasasortofgo-toguyintown.It too of youngartists.Ihadotherhabits.madearubberstampwithaccountingdatacardiologist, soI CUOGHI: I'veneverbeentotallyinvolvedincontemporaryartandIwasirritatedbytheboringhabits SLENSKE: What madeyouwanttojourneyintooldageasyourfatherin1997? ced tofindasolution.It'sneverreallythesolution,butforwhileit'senough. ROBERTO CUOGHI:Mypersonalviewis different. PeriodicallyIputmyselfintrouble,soamfor- alteration. What startedit? MICHAEL SLENSKE:Sincethe1990s,itseemsthatyou'vebeenonajourneyofself-explorationand mately behissavinggrace: While preparingfortheshow, Cuoghioffered someinsight intohismanyselves,andsaysartwillulti- which werebasedonaphotoofdistantcousinfromBolognawhomhehadnevermet. portraits thatexaminehistransformationsfrompunkthirty-somethingtoailingseptuagenarian,someof ghi, openingatHammerProjectsthis Wednesday. He'llalsoshowaseriesofrealist andabstractself- the sizeofCastellopiece,willappearinCuoghi'sfirstsolomuseumshowU.S.,RobertoCuo ("Šuillakku")—based onasmallbronzePazuzutotemattheLouvre. song cycletothegods)andagiantsculpturaldepictionofkingdemonwinds,Pazuzu bylonian musicanddeities.He'sfabricatedancientinstruments(andanimagined6thCenturyB.C.E. Equally exhaustive,hisexplorationofcuriositiesincludesamushroomingfascinationin In eachinstance,Cuoghi'sarthastakenhimtothelimitsofhumanexistence,inpursuitrevelation. his father, documentedbyasuiteofself-portraits. weight gain(to308lbs.),hairandbearddye,adoptedmannerisms,frumpyclothes—intotheformof http://www.artinamericamagazine.com/news-features/previews/roberto-cuoghi-hammer-museum/ Michael Slenske. «Prohibition Recognizes Value: Roberto Cuoghi»,Art inAmerica,January18,2011. The firstsymptomsare a collectionof A marbleversionofthelatter, half Assyrian-Ba- - Galerie Chantal Crousel bitions. Buteveryprohibition, afterall,isarecognitionofvaluetothat isprohibited.Sothissculp the greatreligionsarefounded againstthis—firstofall,throughthecommandments, whichareprohi in frontoftheotherand fused withitsdouble. This meansthatheisanyrepresentation ofhimself,and the versionatHammer isamarblesculpture.Itcomesfromthesame model,butmultipliedbytwo, rian-Babylonian amuletpreservedintheLouvre. Ineverthoughtofmakingotherslikethat.Instead, CUOGHI: Pazuzuisnotreallyasculpture;itthe arithmeticenlar revisit ithereinblackmarble? SLENSKE: You've saidyouwerereluctanttomakeanotherPazuzuaftertheSuillakkushow. Why what? Ithinkit'sbettertoseetheseportraitsasa parodyoftheideathatIfeelaroundmywork. someone andhesays,"So,that'showyou'redressing now." Well, this isajacketfromfiveyearsago.So ferent fromanybodyelse's. This storyoftransformationcreatesalotmeaninglesssituations.Imeet CUOGHI: This questionhasthesameproblemthatthisshowhas, andmyanswermaynotbesodif- SLENSKE: HowisRobertoCuoghidifferent fromtheartistin1990,whenyourcareerbegan? Wunder! wounds" butifyoulookcloserthereisaRattheend,soitcanbecamemysticaldesire:ZeigeDeine tattoo. The phrasehastwomeanings,itcanbereadZeigeDeine Wunde, whichmeans"Showyour intellectual, invogueandalwaysup-to-datebecauseheworksongossip.Hewastellingabouthis new looking forasophisticatedsentencetoputintothemouthofspoiledyoungman. not amongmyinterests.MaybeIwantedtotalkaboutthenewmillennium'scheapexistentialism. Iwas CUOGHI: Sure,thatmightbeso,butit'snotreallyaBeuysreference.I'mseriouswhenIsay artis all oftheworksinthisshow? notion ofrevelationinthepersonalandspiritualsense. Would yousaythat'stheimpulsebehindmostor SLENSKE: What abouttheportraitwithreferencetoJosephBeuys? That seemstoplayonthe so littletodowiththetruth. cigar box.Itmaybeginoneway, butmyproblemisnotstyle.Lookingforpersonalstyleseemstohave always triedtogiveanappearancewhatIhadinmymind. As ithappened,Ifoundthesolutionina CUOGHI: They areself-portraits,butIhadtofocusmyattentionondifferent targets, notonme.Ihave but neverknew?Couldyouexplaintheprocess? that adirectreferencetothetypeofmanwhomightbepaintingthemattimeorthiscousinyoulost SLENSKE: What abouttheportraitsatHammer, whicharequitediverseinstyleandapproach.Is intestine. had toleanonacoolerbecauseIcouldn'tstandup. You feeltheheatofbloodthatspreadsunder update myprosthesis. The lasttwocameundone,stitchbystitch,withoutwarning,inahypermarket.I next timehe'llalmosthavetosplitmeintwo.I'vefattenedupby180pounds,soasense,Ihad from oneleg,andIhavehadmanyoperationstocontainhernias. http://www.artinamericamagazine.com/news-features/previews/roberto-cuoghi-hammer-museum/ Michael Slenske. «Prohibition Recognizes Value: Roberto Cuoghi»,Art inAmerica,January18,2011. gement ofasmallartifact,an Assy- The surgeon toldmethat There isthisItalian - - Galerie Chantal Crousel CUOGHI: OfcourseIdon'trecommendworryingaboutsuchthings. installation atCastellodiRivoli,thatheprotectsthemuseumwhilehe'sthere? SLENSKE: Isitwiseforamuseumtoexhibitdemonordoyouthink,asyou'vesaidaboutthefirst with himself? doesn't haveonedirection,buttwo?Howcanthespiritofademonfixitself,findinghimselfmixed ture maybetheeasiestwaytochallengeitsoriginalmeaning.Moresimply ROBERTO CUOGHIOPENSJANUARY 22 AT THE HAMMERINLOS ANGELES. It's notabook.Onlyterrificworkcancausesomanyproblemseverywhere. always seemedlikeasedative,tome,untilIrealizedthevastnessandcomplexityofitsinterpretations. CUOGHI: IsupposeitwastheOracles Against theNationsthatmademewanttostudy. The bible SLENSKE: What promptedyourresearchintoNinevahinthefirst place? demon. It'sironicthathebecametheDevilin The Exorcist,becausePazuzuwasatoolfortheexorcist. lation. Turin hasanesoterictradition,andeveryonelovestojokeaboutit.ButPazuzuisapurifying ries hadmoretodowiththeload-bearingstrengthoffloor, andproblemsoftransportinstal- http://www.artinamericamagazine.com/news-features/previews/roberto-cuoghi-hammer-museum/ Michael Slenske. «Prohibition Recognizes Value: Roberto Cuoghi»,Art inAmerica,January18,2011. At theHammer, Ithinkthewor- , whathappensifanamulet Galerie Chantal Crousel Heidi Zuckerman Jacobson.«What, n°48,March, toseethismonth»,Art Review 2011,p. 48. Galerie Chantal Crousel many othersbecomethenovelplaygroundofagroupsmilingandoverexcitedchildren. have suddenlybecomemyown—famousworksbyJeff Koons,RobertGober, MaurizioCattelanand known andwealthyprivatecollection. And soitis that,lookedatwithCuoghi’s eyes—thoseeyesthat you realizethatthiskindofvision,asortlow-costspecialeffect, hasbeenappliedinsteadtoawell- panoramas ofsquaresandmonuments,theentireKinderamaoperationtakesonsignificanceassoon as Mark’s Squarecoveredwithpigeons. And yet,preciselybecausestereoscopicviewersusuallypresent some willsay, perhapsthinkingofthosesmallopticaldevicescapableconveyingthemagicSt. with theaidofaspecialviewer, theimagesfuse,creatingillusionofdepth.Nothingnewaboutthat, sliding thecameraalongafixedruledbar. Thetwopictures lookverysimilartothenakedeye,butseen and proportionscorrectly, theprocedureinvolvestakingtwophotographsalmostsimultaneously, but copic images.Foundedontheprincipleofbinocularvision,whichiswhatallowsustojudgedistances given me,myheadspins.Kinderama(2010),theartist’s latestproject,isbasedonaseriesofstereos- It hasaninnocentlook;thereareevenchildreninit.ButwhenIputontheglassesthatCuoghi tist’s—become mine. instant whenmyvisionchanges,gazeisreplacedbyanalienoneandothereyes—thear- rather, it’s whathappenseverytimeIencounteroneofhiscreations.Hisworkacquiresmeaningthe Cuoghi takesawaymyeyesandcompelsmetousehis. This isneither ajokenoranequivocalgame— Anno 2Numero6aprile-maggio2010 Marcella Beccaria Anamorphosis intheEyes Roberto Cuoghi. The Rulesof Vision Marcella Beccaria.«Roberto Vision», Kaleidoscope,n°6,year Cuoghi.The Rules 2,April-May, of 2010. http://1995-2015.undo.net/it/magazines/1272010570 courtesy theartist Kinderama 2010 Galerie Chantal Crousel fragmented suffering. And thentherearethetextsCuoghiwroteattime:genuineanti-poemsofintoxicated,cynically ferential dimension,andinfactCuoghipracticallysawnothingbuthimself(whencetheself-portraits). around himatthattime. We don’t needapsychologisttotellusthatitwasclaustrophobically self-re- called IlCoccodeista.Lookingattheseworksonpapergivesaclearideaoftheworldthatartist saw and whateveristotherightchangesplacewithleft. All thatremainsofthisexperimentistheseries optical propertyofinvertingandreversingthevision,sothatwhateverisaboveappearsonbottom pair ofwelder’s goggleswhoselenseshadbeenreplacedbyPeckhamprisms,whichhavethecurious he hadtheideaoftakinganexambyalteringhisownalreadydisorderlylife.Hespentdayswearing a imply anewsubstitutionofthegaze.Cuoghiwasstudentat Accademia diBrerainMilanwhen thing. Onceagain,myeyesarenotown;theself-portraitsandsheetsoftextthatmakeup series “future”), aconfusedavant-gardistwholivedonpills,spurningshowers,combsandchangesofclo- codeista (1997)(aplayonwordsinwhichtheItalianwordfor“cackle”takesplaceof“cube” or his catalogueinmymind.Heretheyare,chronologicalorder. First,Cuoghi’s self-portraitIlCoc- I putdownKinderama,takebackmyeyesandstarttothinkaboutCuoghi’s otherworks.Ileafthrough he seesmonstersandputsthemeverywhere. the worldofart”declaresasmartartsloganthesedays…Inend,welikeCuoghipreciselybecause lightful littlegirlturningherhandsupsidedownandpretendingtheyareglasses.“A windowopenonto desperately tobelongtheworldofart,endupbeingimprisonedbyit?Oneimageevenshowsade- wretches intheworkshapeofacage? They’re notbyanychance likethepeoplewho,wanting a groupofcuratorsclingingtotheluminoustailsomeshootingstarartscene? And thosepoor ful childrendancingintheglareoflightthatilluminatesCattelan’s horse?Don’t theyremindyouof familiar scene…perhapssomegalleryownerflexingthemusclesofhispower In thatchildposingastheIncredibleHulkinfrontofpicturebyKoons,youseemtorecognizea your handsisasortofmicroscopecapablerevealingthesecretscolonymultiplyingbacteria. is notjustatoy… And sowhatisit?Insearchofameaning,yousuddenlyfeelthathavein stimulus andstartstosee,initsturn,hypotheticalmetaphors,similespersonifications.Perhapsit think. While theeyeswanderandplumbdepthof3Dimage,mindresponds totheretinal A worldoffluctuating,amusing,captivating,butalsoslightlyrepellentillusion,Kinderamamakesyou Marcella Beccaria.«Roberto Vision», Kaleidoscope,n°6,year Cuoghi.The Rules 2,April-May, of 2010. http://1995-2015.undo.net/it/magazines/1272010570 . And thatgroupofcheer - Galerie Chantal Crousel sense oftheterm. perspective, theGoodgriefiesareagalleryofmonsters,trueaberrationgazeinetymological duct ofthesuperimpositiontwoormoreoriginalcartoons.Mutantbeings,subjectedtoacorrupted nists oftheworld American cartoons.Inthevideo,eachofcharacterscreatedbyCuoghiisapro- dure thatalsodefines TheGoodgriefies(2000),aworkthattakesitsinspirationfrom familiar protago view intoone,andtherebyfusinginthemindreferencesthatwouldotherwiselackdepth,isaproce- and sometimesanticipatedtheculturalclimateofageinwhichtheylived. Turning two pointsof be adaptedtothemostfantasticirrationality;througheachoftheseversionsit,artistshaveexpressed perspectives, deceleratedanamorphicdistortions… The rationalruleofperspectivecan always beenanintentionalact—perspectiveas“symbolicform,”ErwinPanofskywrites. as well.Inthehistoryofart,constructionvision,pointview, ofperspective,has Every artistconstructsimagesand,ifheorsheisreallygood,inventsthelawsthatdefinetheirvision his fingers. a deliberateaccelerationandthusparadoxicallysloweddownlifethatwasotherwiseslippingthrough change onhimself.Byalteringhisowneyes—andappearance,habits,friendships—Cuoghiunderwent glimpse ofhisownviewtheworldthroughworks,inthiscaseitwasartistwhoimposed to beexact,ifnotonceagainappropriatingsomeoneelse’s eyes?IfCuoghiisabletooffer othersa gain othersinexchange. Thinking aboutit,whatistheactofbecominganolderperson,hisownfather may, itiscertainthatthetransformationwasawayforartisttoloseyearsofhisownlifebut according tosome. A whollypersonalmatter, intheviewofothers,Cuoghiamongthem.Bethatasit logical ageoftwenty-fiveintothatanoverweightsixty-year-old. Anextremeartisticperformance, process ofmetamorphosisthatledhimtotransformhimselfintoamiddle-agedman,turninghisbio- The followingyearwasunquestionablythemosttormentedinartist’s career. In1988,hebeganthe Marcella Beccaria.«Roberto Vision», Kaleidoscope,n°6,year Cuoghi.The Rules 2,April-May, of 2010. http://1995-2015.undo.net/it/magazines/1272010570 Accelerated - Galerie Chantal Crousel once andfinditharderto bringtheportraitsoftwoambassadorsinto focus. the foreground.I’mcertain thatifIwentwithCuoghitotheNationalGallery hewouldseetheskullat powers. An obliqueviewpresentsus insteadwiththecruderepresentationofalarge skullthatoccupies of theworkoffers thecompellingimageoftwodiplomats attheheightoftheirhumanandprofessional the picturepaintedbyHansHolbeinin1533(now intheNationalGalleryLondon). A frontalview frequently usedtopresenttheimageofsomething wedon’t wanttosee.Consider The Ambassadors, with him,isalmostalwaystheleastobviousand mostobscure.Itisnoaccidentthatanamorphosis artist onthefieldofwork?Cuoghihasanamorphosis insidehim. And whatisanamorphosisifnotashiftingofthe gazeonthebasisofaprearrangedimpositionbyan who dictatestheconditionsofvision. lation oftoysanddolls.Inbothworks,thegazeiscapturedonceagain,insensethatitartist as an Arcimboldo-esque divertissement,inwhichtheartist’s faceisseentobecomposedofanaccumu- technique usedtoproducethree-dimensionalimages. As welookatit,theworkgraduallyrevealsitself In thesameyear, heproducedanotherself-portrait,constructed inthiscaseemployingalenticular same wall,butatadistanceofalmostthirteenfeet.Itisimpossibletotakeboththeminglance. version ofhisface,intheother, anuglierrendition. The twodrawingsareintendedtobehungonthe to representhimself,forbetterandworse.Inoneofthetwodrawings,artistproposesabeautified created withthesameintentions,Cuoghi’s doubleself-portraitonpaperfrom2005illustrateshisability himself withthefeaturesofanangelanddisplayingtechnicalmasteryademon. Although not had paintedhisSelf-PortraitinaConvexMirror(1524)todemonstrateowncapacities,presenting riments inthefieldofoptics,particularlythosethatconcernself-portrait.ItseemsParmigianino and othertimes,awashinvisionsunexpecteduncertainties.Inthiscontext,Iamremindedof expe tamia. Hemetamorphosesunderoureyes,andsuddenlywefindourselvescatapultedintoother worlds Sumerian musicalinstrumentsandthetransformationofartisthimselfintoaninhabitantMesopo- rimentation wasextendedtoarcheologicalresearch,culminatinginthephilologicalreconstruction of in theother. The processreacheditspeakinthesoundinstallationŠuillakku(2008),whereexpe became asingerandmusician,turninghimselfintoan African herdsmaninonecaseandaChinesegirl of adeceasedrelative,andtheninthesongs,withMbube(2005)MeiGui(2006),where artist the Asincroni (Asynchronies)(2002–04),dominatedbyatrulyspookysmileimposed onthefeatures Cuoghi continuedtoapplythisexperimentalmethodinsubsequentworksaswell:firstthedrawings, the airisfilledwithacidrainoflatecapitalismratherthanmistsmannerism). professional ofalchemicaleccentricitieslikeParmigianino(evenifweareinMilanandnotParma, It seemsasifwearereadingaboutoneofGiorgio Vasari’s Livesofthe Artists, perhapsthatofatrue each workislikethesumofknowledgeacquiredinrelationtoparticularchemicalcombinations. with evil-smellinggluesandsolvents,Cuoghiclassifiedtheresultsofhisownexperiments,sothat painting makesclearCuoghi’s penchantforexperimentation. Likeanobsessivealchemisttinkering ding enamel,pastel,watercolor, pencilandink,combiningavarietyofchemicalreactions,each or withdrawfromit,asifvaporized.Createdbysuperimposingmanylayersofmixedmaterials,inclu ding ontheanglefromwhichtheyareobserved,subjectsmaterializesurfaceofpainting move about,changingthepositionofyourbodyandlettingeyesroveagooddeal. Then, depen- forms—creatures suspendedinintermediatestagesofevolution. To seeaBlackPainting,youhaveto In 2002,CuoghibegantheBlackPaintings,aseriesofworksinhabitedbyhuman,orhumanoid, Marcella Beccaria.«Roberto Vision», Kaleidoscope,n°6,year Cuoghi.The Rules 2,April-May, of 2010. http://1995-2015.undo.net/it/magazines/1272010570 The realitythathesees,andwe - - - Galerie Chantal Crousel irrational presence. see amuseuminthe21stcenturyasperfectsettingformonstrous,metamorphicandirremediably transporting uselsewhere—inthementalandmetaphoricalsense,obviously—unexpectedlymakes us who reveltoomuchinthecomfortsoflife.Butonceagain,itisartist’s eyethatcommands,by the statueremindsusofitscreepingreality, justasHolbein’s skullisawise mementomoriforthose castle thathoststheCastellodiRivoli.Certainly, thedemoncanprotectagainstevil:presenceof function oftheoriginal,Cuoghi’s Pazuzuhasbecomeanamuletonthescaleofimposingbaroque idea thatthedemondwellsinanyofhiseffigiesorreproductionsthem.Maintainingapotropaic of producingprototypes. Appropriating thesuperstitionsof Assyrians, Cuoghiinfactreiteratesthe the statuetteinLouvre. The workwasmadeusingthelaser-scanning technique,aprecisemethod from thefaceofEarth.Inthiscontext,CuoghicreatedhisPazuzu(2008),amonumentalversion of the worst,thatofdestructionbothcities,justbeforeentire Assyrian civilizationwaswiped unfortunately Harranaswell.Isaybecauseofallpossibletimes,Cuoghicoursechose saying thatIdidthesame.Fromonedaytonext,beganseenothingbutNineveh,andthen Contemporary Art, theartistrespondedpositively, headingstraightforMesopotamia.Itgoeswithout When in2006IinvitedCuoghitoprepareasoloexhibitionfortheCastellodiRivoliMuseumof that, fromtheMiddle Ages onward,definedtheiconographicrepresentationofevilin West. of thatregionandtime,aswellinitsaffinitieswiththemostwidespreadimagesDevil animal, thedemonissurprisinginitsdissimilarityfromanyotherartifactproducedbycivilization tive defenseforthehome,newbornorpeopleingeneral. With hybridfeatures,atoncehumanand the demonhimself, Assyrians wereconvincedthatstatuettesofPazuzucouldfunctionasaneffec- ancient populationsofMesopotamiaasprotectionagainstdeadlythreats.Identifyinghiseffigieswith sified asarepresentationofPazuzu,demonassociatedwiththewinds,fearedbutalsoinvokedby bronze statuetteinthedepartmentof Assyrian Antiquities. Notevensixincheshigh,thestatueisclas On avisittotheLouvre,amongmanymasterpiecesondisplay, Cuoghi’s attentionwascaughtbya Marcella Beccaria.«Roberto Vision», Kaleidoscope,n°6,year Cuoghi.The Rules 2,April-May, of 2010. http://1995-2015.undo.net/it/magazines/1272010570 - Galerie Chantal Crousel Andrea Viliani.Andrea «Roberto Cuoghi.DoMeAFavor», Frog , n°8,February, 2009,pp. 94-103. Galerie Chantal Crousel Andrea Viliani.Andrea «Roberto Cuoghi.DoMeAFavor», Frog , n°8,February, 2009,pp. 94-103. Galerie Chantal Crousel Andrea Viliani.Andrea «Roberto Cuoghi.DoMeAFavor», Frog , n°8,February, 2009,pp. 94-103. Galerie Chantal Crousel Andrea Viliani.Andrea «Roberto Cuoghi.DoMeAFavor», Frog , n°8,February, 2009,pp. 94-103. Galerie Chantal Crousel Andrea Viliani.Andrea «Roberto Cuoghi.DoMeAFavor», Frog , n°8,February, 2009,pp. 94-103. Galerie Chantal Crousel Andrea Viliani.Andrea «Roberto Cuoghi.DoMeAFavor», Frog , n°8,February, 2009,pp. 94-103. Galerie Chantal Crousel Andrea Viliani.Andrea «Roberto Cuoghi.DoMeAFavor», Frog , n°8,February, 2009,pp. 94-103. Galerie Chantal Crousel Andrea Viliani.Andrea «Roberto Cuoghi.DoMeAFavor», Frog , n°8,February, 2009,pp. 94-103. Galerie Chantal Crousel Andrea Viliani.Andrea «Roberto Cuoghi.DoMeAFavor», Frog , n°8,February, 2009,pp. 94-103. Galerie Chantal Crousel Andrea Viliani.Andrea «Roberto Cuoghi.DoMeAFavor», Frog , n°8,February, 2009,pp. 94-103. Galerie Chantal Crousel «Roberto Cuoghi,The ICA,Londres, CastellodiRivoli, Turin», Frog , n°8,February, 2009,pp. 32-35. Galerie Chantal Crousel «Roberto Cuoghi,The ICA,Londres, CastellodiRivoli, Turin», Frog , n°8,February, 2009,pp. 32-35. Galerie Chantal Crousel «Roberto Cuoghi,The ICA,Londres, CastellodiRivoli, Turin», Frog , n°8,February, 2009,pp. 32-35. Galerie Chantal Crousel «Roberto Cuoghi,The ICA,Londres, CastellodiRivoli, Turin», Frog , n°8,February, 2009,pp. 32-35. Galerie Chantal Crousel Andrea Bellini.«L’Andrea improvvisazione èviva, ingiro portare gelitin lapuoisempre », Domus, n°930,November, 2009, pp. 97-100. Galerie Chantal Crousel Andrea Bellini.«L’Andrea improvvisazione èviva, ingiro portare gelitin lapuoisempre », Domus, n°930,November, 2009, pp. 97-100. Galerie Chantal Crousel Andrea Bellini.«L’Andrea improvvisazione èviva, ingiro portare gelitin lapuoisempre », Domus, n°930,November, 2009, pp. 97-100. Galerie Chantal Crousel Andrea Bellini.«L’Andrea improvvisazione èviva, ingiro portare gelitin lapuoisempre », Domus, n°930,November, 2009, pp. 97-100. Galerie Chantal Crousel Laura Cherubini.«RobertoLaura Cuoghi.Liturgieedemoni»,Flash Art Italia, n°270,June-July, 2008,pp. 73-75. Galerie Chantal Crousel Laura Cherubini.«RobertoLaura Cuoghi.Liturgieedemoni»,Flash Art Italia, n°270,June-July, 2008,pp. 73-75. Galerie Chantal Crousel Laura Cherubini.«RobertoLaura Cuoghi.Liturgieedemoni»,Flash Art Italia, n°270,June-July, 2008,pp. 73-75. Galerie Chantal Crousel Laura Cherubini.«RobertoLaura Cuoghi.Liturgieedemoni»,Flash Art Italia, n°270,June-July, 2008,pp. 73-75. Galerie Chantal Crousel elementary styleandresembled thecreationsofasmallchild. the painprovokedby prisms. The resultantdrawingsandpoemswereaccordingly executedinan experience oftheseexceptionalcircumstances,including theeffects ofthemedicines hetooktoease self-portraits andanumberofbitterlyironic,occasionally melancholic,shortpoemsthatrelatedhis completely redefinehissenseofsightandorientation. Theprojectgeneratedavideo,seriesofdrawn 1997). The glasses providedCuoghiwithacompletelydistortedvisionoftheworld,obliginghimto them by180degrees–mountedontowelders’ gogglesforfiveconsecutivedays(IlCoccodeista, for instance,CuoghiworeapairofSchmidt-Pechan prisms–whichrotatewhateverisviewedthrough his physicalcapacitiesinaratherextremefashion. While stillastudentatMilan’s Brera Art Academy, In someofhisearlyprojects,Cuoghisubjected bodytoavarietyofmetamorphicprocesses,testing artist. change, thehybridizationofformsandidentities,isarecurrentthemeinworkthisMilan-based tify acommondenominatorintheconceptofmetamorphosis. The idea of constanttransformationand To radically simplifythediversityofformsandappearancesRobertoCuoghi’s arttakes,wecouldiden- Luca Cerizza Issue 116 June-August2008 Metamorphosis and‘life-sharing’;decadenthumourdemonkings Roberto Cuoghi Luca Cerizza.«Roberto Cuoghi»,Frieze, n°116,June-August, 2008. http://www.frieze.com/issue/article/roberto_cuoghi/ Galerie Chantal Crousel The symbolicrelevance of Cuoghi’s projectbecomes clearer whenweconsiderthatthelamentation around 612bcinvoking the protectionof Assyrian gods. of ancientmusicalinstruments, whichhethenusedtoaccompanyhimself singingalamentationfrom voices ofCuoghi’s overwhelmingsoundinstallation. The artistresearchedandreconstructedanumber and thevideofor‘RockIt’ (2004)byGorillaz.Insidethemuseum,roomsresonatedwith themyriad and hasamillenaryhistoryofreincarnationsthat inrecenttimeshasextendedto wind. Followingtheprinciplethatevildrives away, Pazuzu wasfrequentlyinvokedasprotector, gement ofatinybronzestatuefromtheLouvre the Assyrian deityPazuzu,kingofthedemons cated onthemuseum’s monumentalstaircase, thesculpture,whichisoverfivemeterstall,anenlar cologists, linguistsandindustrialdesigners,Cuoghi producedasculptureandsoundinstallation.Lo- and mythology. After anextendedperiodofresearchinvolving historians,archaeologists,ethno-musi- at theCastellodiRivoliContemporary Art Museumin Turin, focuseson Assyro-Babylonian history It thereforecomesasnosurprisethatCuoghi’s latestproject,‘Šuillakku’ (2008),whichrecently opened every residualconceptofpurityisredundant:themythicaleraBabelrevisited. dark, almostdecadenthumour, Cuoghi’s artalludes to thefactthatwearelivinginatimewhich increasingly influencedbytheforcesofglobalizationanddigitalization. form orstory, hisworkquestionsidentity, authorityandauthorship,originoriginality, inaworld highbrow andpopularculture.Byrevealingthelevelofadulterationcorruptionhiddeninany given In Cuoghi’s world,hybridizationexistsatevery level,betweenpastandpresent,naturetechnology, Redon dreamgonebad. images –fromevilsmilingcreaturestounreadablegeographicalmapstheworksevokeanOdilon layers ofglassandvariousmaterialsaresuperimposedontooneanothertocreatearangedisquieting more disturbingpaintings.Executedemployinganexquisite,painstakingtechnique,inwhichmultiple cing aparadeofgrotesque-yet-comicalfigures.Cuoghisubsequentlycompletednumberdarker and Tunes andPeanutswiththosefrommorerecentseriessuchas The SimpsonsandSouthPark,produ- among othermonstrousbodies,createdbycombiningcharactersfromclassiccartoonssuchasLoony portrayed himselfasanoldmanwearingdarkglassesandafatIndiandivinity, ahybridcreature as acartooninnumberofworks.Inthevideoanimation The Goodgriefies (2000),forexample,he In anattempttomoveawayfromemployinghisbodydirectlyinart,Cuoghirepresentedhimself cal operations. himself overtheyearsrenderedprocessextremelyslowandpainful,evennecessitatingsomesurgi- passed away, theartiststartedtoreverseprematureaging,butstresswhichhehadsubjected Cuoghi’s imitationsurvivedtheoriginal,buthisbodypaidahighinheritancetax:whenfather consequently prolonganotherexistence,spreadbywordofmouthuntilitpassedintoart-worldlore. Although itgeneratednofurtherartworks,newsofCuoghi’s attemptto‘life-share’,duplicateand maintained hisnewpersonaforseveralyears,inanambiguousstrugglebetweenfictionandreality man: thenumbershadbeeninverted,timeaccelerated.Neitheraperformancenordisguise,Cuoghi dressed andactedlikehisfather. Within afewweeks,theartisthadtransformedhimselfintoanold became seriouslyill.Cuoghigainedsixandahalfstone,dyedhishairwhite,grewlongbeard, reverse thenaturalprogressionoftime,heassumedappearancehisfatherwho,shortlyafter, In 1998,attheageof25,Cuoghiembarkedonanotherradicalfirst-handexperience.anattemptto Luca Cerizza.«Roberto Cuoghi»,Frieze, n°116,June-August, 2008. http://www.frieze.com/issue/article/roberto_cuoghi/ Although itistingedwitha The Exorcist(1971) . - Galerie Chantal Crousel Babylon ispavedwithanguish,despairanddeath. a moremetaphoricalfashionaboutourfearoftheunknownandworldgonewrong. The roadto that theglobaldominationof American empirewillendabout20yearsfromnow;Cuoghispeaksin lations. InUnebrèvehistoiredel’avenir(A BriefHistoryoftheFuture,2006),Jacques Attali predicted dates fromatimewhenoneoftheworld’s firstgreat empireswasunderthreatfromneighbouringpopu Luca Cerizza.«Roberto Cuoghi»,Frieze, n°116,June-August, 2008. http://www.frieze.com/issue/article/roberto_cuoghi/ - Galerie Chantal Crousel Maurizio Cattelan. «MaurizioCattelan intervistaRoberto Cuoghi»,MousseMagazine, n°5,December, 2006, pp. 24-26. Galerie Chantal Crousel Maurizio Cattelan. «MaurizioCattelan intervistaRoberto Cuoghi»,MousseMagazine, n°5,December, 2006, pp. 24-26. Galerie Chantal Crousel Maurizio Cattelan. «MaurizioCattelan intervistaRoberto Cuoghi»,MousseMagazine, n°5,December, 2006, pp. 24-26. Galerie Chantal Crousel Maurizio Cattelan. «MaurizioCattelan intervistaRoberto Cuoghi»,MousseMagazine, n°5,December, 2006, pp. 24-26. Galerie Chantal Crousel Alison M.Gingeras. «Roberto Cuoghi»,Artforum, Summer, 2005,pp. 316-317. Galerie Chantal Crousel Alison M.Gingeras. «Roberto Cuoghi»,Artforum, Summer, 2005,pp. 316-317. Galerie Chantal Crousel Diego Perrone.Diego «Roberto Cuoghiinconversation with Perrone, Diego Wrong Times, 2003.