Denis Riva's 'Idoli Pedemontani' Transforms Landscape into Myth at Villa Brandolini
Denis Riva's exhibition 'Idoli Pedemontani' at Villa Brandolini in Pieve di Soligo, curated by Leonardo Regano, presents ten large canvases titled 'Idoli' (Boldus, Brandhi, Fiadd, Foll) that distort local toponyms into magical incantations. The works feature zoomorphic creatures like scorpions, raptors, and salamanders, emerging from a painterly process using 'lievito madre'—brush-washing water saturated with pigment sediment. The show includes additional pieces: 'Guardania' canine heads, 'Salto di specie' books, 'Riserva artificiale' drawings, 'Sagome necessarie' wooden installation with animation, 'Scarti di valore' archive of studio fragments, and 'La ruota non gira' polyptych created during lockdown, symbolizing resistance to modernity's acceleration. Riva, born in Ganzamonio in 1979, explores the fragile bond between humanity, time, and nature, invoking Mircea Eliade's phenomenology of the sacred. The exhibition runs until July 5, 2026.
Key facts
- Denis Riva's exhibition 'Idoli Pedemontani' is at Villa Brandolini in Pieve di Soligo, Italy.
- The exhibition is curated by Leonardo Regano.
- Ten large canvases titled 'Idoli' (Boldus, Brandhi, Fiadd, Foll) distort local toponyms like San Boldo, Brandolini, Fiadora, and Follina.
- Riva uses 'lievito madre' (brush-washing water) as a painting technique.
- Works include 'Guardania', 'Salto di specie', 'Riserva artificiale', 'Sagome necessarie', 'Scarti di valore', and 'La ruota non gira'.
- 'La ruota non gira' was created during lockdown and symbolizes resistance to acceleration.
- Riva was born in Ganzamonio in 1979.
- The exhibition runs until July 5, 2026.
Entities
Artists
- Denis Riva
- Leonardo Regano
- Mircea Eliade
- Georges Bataille
- Maria Letizia Paiato
Institutions
- Villa Brandolini
- Artribune
Locations
- Pieve di Soligo
- Italy
- Follina
- San Boldo
- Brandolini
- Fiadora
- Ganzamonio