MAO Torino's Declinazioni Contemporanee program enters third year with four new site-specific works
The Museo d'Arte Orientale (MAO) in Turin is advancing its Declinazioni Contemporanee initiative, now in its third year, featuring commissioned pieces from Ritu Sarin & Tenzing Sonam, Sunmin Park, Francesco Simeti, and Lin Chi-Wei. Launched in 2022 by director Davide Quadrio, this project aims to reinterpret the museum's collections through contemporary artistic expressions until April 26, 2026. In the Tibetan section, Sarin and Sonam present a sound installation that recounts the history of the Densatil monastery. Sunmin Park's 'Pale Pink Universe' addresses themes of nature and human impact within the Chinese galleries. Simeti's 'Description Generale' challenges Orientalist portrayals with wallpaper and glass sculptures. All contributions will be added to MAO's permanent collection, with Lin Chi-Wei's work acknowledged but not elaborated upon.
Key facts
- Declinazioni Contemporanee is a residency and site-specific commission program at MAO Turin, started in 2022 by director Davide Quadrio.
- The third edition features artists Ritu Sarin & Tenzing Sonam, Sunmin Park, Francesco Simeti, and Lin Chi-Wei.
- The program runs until April 26, 2026.
- Sarin and Sonam's sound installation in the Tibetan section addresses fragments of Densatil monastery, destroyed during the Cultural Revolution.
- Sunmin Park's 'Pale Pink Universe' was created during a residency at CastelGiocondo in Montalcino, part of Artisti per Frescobaldi.
- Artisti per Frescobaldi is a patronage project by Tiziana Frescobaldi, curated by Ludovico Pratesi.
- Park's work includes music by Bojan Vuletic and poetry by Dino Frescobaldi.
- Francesco Simeti's 'Description Generale' uses wallpaper, fabrics, and glass sculptures by WonderGlass.
- All commissioned works enter MAO's permanent collection.
Entities
Artists
- Ritu Sarin
- Tenzing Sonam
- Sunmin Park
- Francesco Simeti
- Lin Chi-Wei
- Davide Quadrio
- Bojan Vuletic
- Dino Frescobaldi
- Tiziana Frescobaldi
- Ludovico Pratesi
Institutions
- Museo d'Arte Orientale (MAO)
- Artisti per Frescobaldi
- WonderGlass
- CastelGiocondo
- Artribune
Locations
- Turin
- Italy
- Montalcino
- Tuscany
- Tibet
- Densatil