Ettore Favini's participatory jeans project 'Au Revoir' lands in Nîmes

Italian artist Ettore Favini has presented 'Au Revoir', a participatory art project centered on jeans, at the Carré d'art contemporain in Nîmes, France. The city is historically linked to denim, which derives its name from 'de Nîmes'. Since the 15th century, Nîmes and Chieri (Piedmont) have vied for primacy in producing a sturdy blue fustian fabric known as denim or blue jeans. The project, curated by Connecting Cultures and winner of the Italian Council 2019 prize from the DGAAP of Mibact, aims to promote Italian creativity abroad. Curated by Roberta Garieri, the exhibition marks the culmination of a long spatial and temporal journey by Favini across the Mediterranean basin, following routes traced by the weaves of jeans—a fabric with ancient origins and a major role in modern and contemporary fashion and costume history. The project involved textile artisans, representatives of Egyptian and North African communities in Milan, and the Fondazione per il Tessile di Chieri. Together, they produced a series of works, including tapestries and small bronze sculptures, all themed around the Mare Nostrum—a place of exchange but also conflict among peoples. The exhibition runs until October 4, 2020.