Fantastic Creatures and other Wonders

Curatorial project by Simultanea Spaces of Art - Florence

From 13 to 25 January 2016



"We do not know the meaning of the dragon, as we ignore the meaning of the universe, but there is something in his image that fits in with the imagination of men, and so the dragon appears in ages and latitudes." (Jorge Luis Borges, The Book of Imaginary Beings)



The aim of the exhibition project conceived by Simultanea Spaces of Art, reality curatorial Florentine direct the art historians Roberta Fiorini and Daniela Pronesti, is based on the book of Borges - The Book of Imaginary Beings - to offer artists a track on which to work. The call is then to unleash the imagination drawing inspiration from Borges, for those who wish, or propose new amazing fantasy creatures, perhaps closer to our sensibilities, the new "myths" of our time, and in any case an expression of power unlimited imagination.



The Fish of the Earthquakes, the Golem, the Phoenix, the Hydra of Lerna, the Anfibena, Chiron, Cerberus: these and other figures born from myth or fantasy populate one of the most fascinating works of Jorge Luis Borges, or "The Book of being imaginary. " A work as complex cultural references in the underlying - from myth to legend, the ancient literature fantastic bestiary - how exciting for those who want to immerse themselves in a world that explores the many faces of wonderful. A theme to which the Argentine writer was dedicated as an essayist, writing short stories and novels of Gothic realism altogether unlikely. The Book of Imaginary Beings looks like a catalog of fantastic creatures from different cultures. This book is the result of a careful comparative study on the relationship between different sources in order to discover that, beyond the place, the time and therefore the cultural context in which the fantastic has occurred, there are subtle and seductive similarities between figures that inhabit or have populated the imagination of different civilizations. For example, the Fish of the Earthquakes, an eel seven hundred miles long leading Japan on the back and that, according to Borges, Bahamut is similar to the Arab traditions and Midgardsorm Edda. The thread that unites these "creatures" is the common root mythical, which places them in a dimension both temporal and timeless, in a distant past and primordial, not being "dated", it is still valid, so as to bring together itself also present and future. And that is "eternal and universal" imaginary mythological - fantastic to determine the charm and the ability to speak to human beings of every age and latitude. In The Book of Imaginary Beings, Borges puts together fable, myth and religion, creating an imaginative story, where there is also a good deal of humor, as when he writes that Cerberus had three heads "for convenience of the plastic arts."

As written by Bruno Munari: "The imagination is free to think whatever, even the most absurd, incredible, impossible." So enough words ... to the imagination !!!



Organizational information: Each author may submit only one work (maximum size 50x70), communicating full caption (title, technique and measurement) and, possibly, sending the photos to our press office and implementation of invitations online. The works can be drawn, painted or produced with graphics programs. The only contribution required is equivalent to the annual membership fee of EUR 50.00. The works must be received wing venue on 11-12 Jan. hours 16:00 / 19:00.







Simultanea Spaces of Art

Curatorial space, Artistic and cultural Association, via San Zanobi 45 red, Florence

Fb: Simultanea Spazi d’Arte (Official English and Spanish)

Website: simultaneaspazidarte.blogspot.com Twitter: ArteSimultanea

Mail: simultaneaspazidarte@gmail.com danielapronesti@hotmail.com rob.fior5@yahoo.it