Milton Manetas | The Pirate Paintings
Don’t miss “Pirate Paintings” on December 3rd from 7pm, a new collection of works by Milton Manetas will be presented in a exhibition at Gloriamaria Gallery (Via Watt 32, Milan), curated by Daniela Palazzoli.
The artist’s goal is to represent the liberty of both the Internet and the Pirates. On exhibit will be several oil paintings of various dimensions representing a unique subject: the Pirate vessel; each transmitting digital information via hardware incorporated in the artwork.
As the innovation of our times is one of the greatest themes for art, the net necessarily became the media through which we record every activity by computers, Internet and the great electronic flow where our knowledge runs. The “painter of the modern life”, as the artist like to call the tradition he addresses to, develops his research through three concepts: Invisibility, Identity and Ideology.
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Invisibility: to show the era of Virtual Reality, Manetas must overcome the un-structural nature of the Internet. So he decided to make a diary of the microevents in the everyday life, gettin deep into the intimate being of the computer, plus seeings Pc parts like screen and mouse as metaphors of human life.
Identity: you can choose to play the role of the Pirate finding hidden treasures in the painting, then the painting becomes a den for all the visitors. With the same metaphor, in his past works Manetas prefigured also travel companions and resting stations, as Chelsea Village, a full no-place with lofts, galleries and museums in which you can move via personal avatar. Or leave your kids at the Electronic Orphanage.
Ideology: as the Internet is a place that cannot be conquered, it’s refractory to any ideology. But Manetas had an idea: we should all vote for the proposal to nominate the Internet as a candidate for the Nobel Peace Prize 2010. Isn’t it the place where everybody can discuss and share information freely? As the curator says “the Internet is an authentic promise of global fraternity”.
P.S. If you come directly from work, bring your laptop! There are Usb connections coming out of an hard drive sticked in the canvas through which you can get lot of material.
By Elisa Lusso | Image Courtesy of Gloriamaria Gallery
