Giacomo Zaganelli's 'Superficially' Opens at MOCA Taipei

Italian artist and curator Giacomo Zaganelli (born 1983 in Florence; lives between Florence and Berlin) has inaugurated a solo exhibition titled 'Superficially' at the MOCA Museum of Contemporary Art in Taipei. The project stems from extensive research conducted in Florence and Taipei, focusing on the relationship between humans, cities, and new technologies. Zaganelli observes how citizens and tourists in contemporary metropolises use mobile phones, cameras, and digital devices excessively, leading to detachment from reality and self-absorption. The exhibition includes three video works and a site-specific installation. 'Illusion' is a three-channel installation based on prolonged observation of tourist behavior in Florence. 'Everywhere but nowhere' focuses on a single person absorbed in using a mobile phone. 'Relocation' compiles videos shot in Taipei accompanied by comments from Taiwanese intellectuals interviewed by Zaganelli during his residency. In the museum square, the large installation 'Facades' brings a piece of Florence to Taipei by reproducing four details of facades from historic Florentine buildings. The exhibition runs from December 16, 2017, to January 28, 2018. Zaganelli was awarded the 'ON BOARD 2017' prize by MiBACT and GAI for this project and subsequent research residency.