Andrea Chiesi's Shift from Post-Industrial Views to Nature in Modena Exhibition

Andrea Chiesi (Modena, 1966) presents a solo exhibition in Modena's newly restored Sale di Cultura del San Paolo, marking a stylistic shift from post-industrial landscapes to abandoned buildings reclaimed by nature. After over twenty years painting oil on linen, Chiesi now focuses on 'pioneer plants' and weeds inhabiting ruins, drawing parallels to punks occupying squats in the 1980s. Living for eight years in a wild grove on Modena's outskirts, surrounded by vegetation, he has turned to drawing with markers and ink washes on paper, creating subtle chiaroscuro textures. The exhibition, curated by Fulvio Chimento, involves the Municipality of Modena's Culture Department, cultural association CerchioStella, gallery D46 (represented by Andrea Losavio), sponsor Hera, and the artistic duo Saggion-Paganello for the setup. The budget is €54,000. This is the first exhibition in the restored San Paolo spaces, with more planned according to councillor Andrea Bortolomasi. The installation faces challenges: the first room's two ochre wall tones clash with Chiesi's cool palette, and paintings rest on tone-on-tone bases due to lack of adequate support systems; the second room uses sturdy wooden beams and glass-topped tables.