Anna Scalfi Eghenter's 'Collectors Anonymous' at Pinksummer, Genoa
At the Pinksummer gallery in Genoa, Anna Scalfi Eghenter (born 1965, Trento) showcases 'Collectors Anonymous,' an exhibition centered on collectors through performance. Moderated by Francesca Guerisoli, five collectors don gas masks to express their motivations, including joy and defiance. The setup features seven chairs, four spotlights, and 14 gas masks, reminiscent of an Alcoholics Anonymous gathering. Marble plaques, inspired by the inscriptions found at Palazzo Ducale, display quotes about collecting. Cardboard cutouts serve to question the idea of monumentality. Eghenter's work draws from Walter Benjamin's 'Unpacking My Library' (1931) and Jean Baudrillard's perspective on collecting as a symbol of status, examining the transition from private ownership to public duty, echoing Peggy Guggenheim’s assertion, 'I am not a collector. I am a museum.'
Key facts
- Anna Scalfi Eghenter's exhibition 'Collectors Anonymous' is at Pinksummer gallery in Genoa.
- Five collectors speak through gas masks, moderated by Francesca Guerisoli.
- The installation includes 7 chairs, 4 spotlights, and 14 gas masks.
- Marble plaques are modeled on inscriptions from Palazzo Ducale's portico.
- Cardboard cutouts accompany the marble plaques.
- The work references Walter Benjamin and Jean Baudrillard.
- Eghenter has a background in sociology.
- Peggy Guggenheim is cited as a historical example.
Entities
Artists
- Anna Scalfi Eghenter
- Peggy Guggenheim
Institutions
- Pinksummer
- Palazzo Ducale
- Artribune
Locations
- Genoa
- Italy
- Trento