Global Folklore: Three Artists Explore Belonging at Gallerie Riunite

The exhibition 'Global Folklore' at Gallerie Riunite in Naples brings together three artists—Rovers Malaj, Eliel David Martínez, and Francesco Onda—who studied painting under the same master at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Venezia but developed distinct practices. Curated by Annamaria De Fanis, Rosa Francesca Masturzo, and Piero Renna, the show examines themes of migration, identity, and the tension between local and global forces. Malaj, born in Albania, presents works like 'Attraverso il vetro' (2026) and 'Ho scommesso sul cavallo sbagliato' (2026), using a pink palette to create dreamlike scenes from found images. Martínez, of Mexican origin, blends Mesoamerican heritage with Venetian influences in pieces such as 'Eliel y David' (2026) and 'Diablos y cuervos' (2026), where figures emerge from fluid surfaces. Onda, based in Venice, captures fleeting moments in works like 'Noia che sfoca a mezzogiorno' (2025), evoking cinematic stillness. The exhibition runs at Gallerie Riunite in Naples, a city historically open to exchange, and includes a critical text by Gabriele Salvaterra. The artists' trajectories—from Albania, Mexico, and Venice to Naples—mirror a contemporary condition of movement and redefinition of belonging.