Group Exhibition 'A Gentile Collapse' Explores Postnational Identity at Andrea Nuovo Home Gallery

A group exhibition titled 'A Gentile Collapse' is currently on view at the Andrea Nuovo Home Gallery in Naples, curated by Marta Ferrara. The show features works by four artists born between the 1980s and 1990s: Zoë Pelikan, Matteo Silverii, Dorottya Vékony, and Flora Villaumié. Running from February 21 to May 18, 2026, the exhibition is conceived as a dual journey, examining the linguistic approaches of this generation, which blend archaic and contemporary elements to reflect shared emotional experiences. The title references a memorable line from Lewis Carroll's 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland' (1865), paraphrasing it to frame the reflective terrain of what is described as a 'New Art World.' The curator describes the exhibition as representing a shift that indicates a state of crossing rather than a specific direction, emphasizing movement, research, study, and inevitable wonder. The subtitle, 'I don’t much care where so long as I get somewhere,' invites visitors on a journey through an unstable space where the absurd, distorted, and impossible subtly infiltrate the everyday. Dorottya Vékony presents 'Extended Blooming' (2024-2025), featuring artificially enhanced natural elements printed on acid-yellow vinyl sheets, creating chromatic reverberation effects. Matteo Silverii contributes paintings such as 'Hyésouhyiós. Ginestra Viola' (2021) and 'Figurines' series (2023-2024), which transform objects into subjects with enigmatic, dreamlike scenarios. Flora Villaumié displays striking graphic artworks, including etchings and chine-collé pieces like 'Gaming Rules. Les règles d’un jeu impassible' (2025), blending historical Parisian eras with contemporary metropolitan fabrics. Zoë Pelikan offers terracotta objects—cups, saucers, and coffee pots—that recall fantastical processes associated with designers like Riccardo Dalisi and Bruno Munari. The exhibition explores themes of the 'postnational subject' and constant physical and cultural movement, referencing critic Gerardo Mosquera's concept of the 'era of roadrunners.' It transforms the gallery space into an integral narrative habitat, engaging with surrealist ideas of parallel reality. The Andrea Nuovo Home Gallery is open Tuesday to Friday from 10:30 AM to 1:00 PM and 4:30 PM to 7:00 PM, with Saturday visits by appointment.