From Clay to Algorithm: Milan Exhibition Explores Art and Technology

The Gallerie d'Italia in Milan presents "Dall'argilla all'algoritmo" (From Clay to Algorithm), an eclectic journey through the relationship between art and technology, curated by Carolyn Christov-Bakargiev and Marcella Beccaria. The exhibition juxtaposes works from the Intesa Sanpaolo collection and the Castello di Rivoli, spanning from classical artifacts to contemporary digital art. Key themes include the concept of techne, the human desire to dominate and transform reality, and the social changes introduced by technology. Highlights include a Greek ceramic paired with Ed Atkins' video "Hisser" (based on purchased digital models), Pietro Longhi's painting of early optical instruments, Michelangelo Pistoletto's mirror paintings, and Janet Cardiff and George Bures Miller's immersive installation "The Paradise Institute." The show also addresses war (Tintoretto's "Portrait of a Condottiero," Sironi's drawing for Il Popolo d'Italia), industrialization (Induno's "Carrozzone delle Ferrovie Nord," Boccioni's "Officine a Porta Romana"), and Italian postwar utopian art-tech encounters with works by Lucio Fontana, Gianni Colombo, Davide Boriani, and Grazia Varisco. Contemporary pieces by Roberto Cuoghi, Thomas Ruff, and Hito Steyerl offer critical analyses of technology. The exhibition runs at Gallerie d'Italia in Milan.